Sensational Crafting

I really need to make Enzo a couple of things for his sensory stuff.  I know definitely I need to get at least one of them figured out and finished before Thanksgiving. Aaarrrggghhhh! I know what I need to do and what I want it to look like, but I need to figure out how to get it all together...*thinking thinking thinking*

Oh yeah and Enzo needs either a Pilgrim or a Native American costume for his class Thanksgiving party on Tuesday.  I guess its a problem if I don't know how to make sleeves...oh where is Mama Belen when we need her! Too bad she doesn't live close by...

Oh and I did make Enzo something for his SPD last year.  One of his therapists is encouraging me to make more because she has several SPD patients who need it, but they aren't available locally...SPD stuff is super pricey too!

Alright I'll have to brain storm this and hopefully I'll get at least one thing made by Turkey Day!

He doesn't like hair

Enzo doesn't like hair near him.  When I tuck him in bed at night and lean down to kiss him, he freaks out when my hair hangs too close to him.  If my hair is hanging in my face, he's quick to point it out and if I don't move it then he'll try to do it for me.

So this morning he's in the bathroom washing his hands and I walked in to help.  He quickly scans me up and down then bends down to look at my legs.

Here's our short conversation:

Enzo: It's like mine.
me: What's like yours?
Enzo: Your hair is like mine. *cringes*

If you've never check out Enzo's legs, he has hairy legs like Kuya TJ.  So what's the lesson in all this??

You know your hairy legs are bad if Enzo has to point them out...thanks Enzo, thanks!

Back 2 School Bash

Updates are long over due, but life happens and blogging doesn't...School has been in session for 3 weeks now, at least for Enzo and E.  But the Friday before school started, we decided to take the kids somewhere fun to kick off the school year!

So off we went to none other than "where a kid can be a kid"...Chuck E. Cheese!!!

The kids had a blast and it wasn't as packed as we expected it to be.  I'll admit I was dreading how Enzo could 'excitedly' respond to Chuck E. Cheese and all its exciting rides and games, but he proved me wrong!

         

Enzo was mad we put the bib on for the picture, but that was the closest he was willing to let Chuck E. near him.  E wouldn't take a picture with Chuck E. either.  So Ethan was their representative for picture purposes!

We do learn something new everyday about our kids, even while playing at Chuck E. Cheese.

    

Lessons learned at Chuck E. Cheese:

1.  E's afraid of heights (that was funny, well sorta not really, we had to work hard at keeping her from jumping off that bike thing).

2. Roller coaster simulators are great for Enzo's sensory issues!  The strong vibrations against his tiny body really did keep him mellow (is that how you spell that? it looks funny) and focused!

3. Notice anything about the pictures above??  Yeah, no picture of Ethan!  He enjoyed his independence and roaming around without the parentals!

PS.  Of course Enzo has to drive a car!  What's a Back 2 School Bash without his car obsession being satisfied?!?

pssst Listen...

Do you hear that?

washing machine running, dish washer running, E's machines running...ahh the sound of silence in our crazy crazy home...

Ahhh the sound of 3 kids in bed by 9:30pm....

PS. Enzo lives here remember?  The child didn't come with volume control nor a pause button ;)  ooh a slow motion feature would be kinda cool!

Beach Day

The past few weeks has been full of craziness. Not sure if it's from being sleep deprived with nursing only 3 days out of the week or if it's the adjustment issues with 2 adoptions within a year of each other (another post for another day) or maybe a combination of both...but wow!

So we decided that inorder to preserve some sanity in our household, we needed to get outta the house even though we were exhausted.

So off to the beach we went...spur of the moment, tantrums, Sunday afternoon, tantrums, beautiful weather, tantrums and bickering here and there (we needed the extra excitement right?)....it really turned out to be such a nice trip for the family.

     

Of course only my kids would have issues with sand and being dirty...

But it didn't take long for them to get over their OCD moment ;)

Ok, so Ethan shouldn't be left to put sunblock on himself

They gathered shells...

buried each other...which really isn't such a great activity when it involves a trach

      

played in the water.....again, water and trachs...not the best activity

     

drifted off in the water..what??

yeah!  right after I took this shot, this huge wave crashed really fast and really far up on the shore (high tide) and thank goodness that Toots has good reflexes because the wave knocked E off her feet and Enzo started drifting off with the water.  So he was trying to get E back on her feet while trying to catch Enzo before he got too far off (which of course Enzo thought was hilarious because he's floating away).

So did I ever mention that E and the beach is a definite no-no?? So it will probably be a while till we make it back to the beach again...or at least until E can understand and not feel bad about her limits...

E was so bummed when we said no more water and that she had to stay in the sand with me...poor kiddo, as much as she understands about safety and her trach, she hates missing out....

The crazy thing is, she wasn't even in the water, she was just standing in the wet sand watching the water when the wave hit....

(click here to view more photos)

Calm before the storm

or maybe it's the calm after the storm? Well either way, the past few weeks with Enzo has been very, very trying.  The last week has esp been really testing my last nerves! haha ok so I can sort of giggle about it now but if you could have seen (or heard) our household, you'd wanna taser someone.

Well yesterday Enzo woke up and decided he was done with his 'tornado'.  The house has been peaceful and fairly quiet except for the occasional sibling rivalry.

Hopefully its here to stay for a while at least.  Then again, we've had one less child the last 2 days because Ethan has been at a friends house.  I pick him up in an hour or so, so we'll see how it goes...

3 movies in 2 weeks!

We haven't had a family movie night in ages, much less go to the movie theaters to catch any of the new movies out.  So it has definitely been a treat for the entire family to waatch 3 movies in 2 weeks!

When Ethan gets excited he always starts gagging.  He doesn't throw up, but he just gags out of excitement.  It's funny!  So he's done that quite a bit lately esp since we've been springing it up on them.

It's so hard to go to the movie theatre with Enzo because he is so young and gets so bored too quick, we have to be pretty picky about what movie to watch with him.

So a couple of Saturday's ago we started our movie marathon with...

That movie was so funny!  We all loved it!  Esp Enzo...and he's so hard to please when it comes to giving his undivided attention...

Almost once a month since Ethan was old enough to sit through a movie, Toots has always tried to go on an 'Ethan-Daddy Date' as they like to call it.  So while Ethan was at children's camp, we decided Enzo really needed to have time with Daddy esp since Toots has been such a rule enforcer lately (that's another post for another day).

So Toots took him to see...

Of course it had to have something to do with cars, I don't think Enzo would have gone with Daddy without me, much less sit through the movie! I guess he liked the movie, but he's not fixated on it like he is with the Disney Cars Movie.  Then again maybe it's because he was more intrigued about the popcorn than the movie!?  But he was so excited to get to go on a date with Daddy since he's had to watch Kuya and Daddy go without him!

I can't wait for E to go on a date with her Daddy!  She's not ready yet tho.  We'll have to wait till she's ready to go off anywhere without Enzo.  (Toots tried to take her one night to buy milk at the store, he had to bring her back before they even drove off the driveway because she was crying huge alligator tears)

Last night, we decided to take advantage of not having a nurse since it also meant we didn't have to be home by a certain time!

That was such a cute movie!  Although it's not really a little kid movie because the first half doesn't have any dialogue.  E and Enzo were fine tho because they were too busy with their popcorn to notice.

E sounds like Wall-E when she talks.  It's hilarious because since she saw the trailer, she keeps repeating 'Wall-E'...and ever since we've been visiting with her, if something startles her in the car she yells out 'Whoa whoa whoa!'  Wall-E says that in the movie and it sounds just like her....too funny!

It's been really nice to get to go out as a family of 5 and be normal even for a short time without workers and nurses....

Chinese Fire Drill

So we've decided that in order to keep our sanity (and our hair), we needed to shuffle kids around and give them each their own space and room.  So how do you fit 3 kids in a 3 bedroom house?? Ha!  You play chinese fire drill with the rooms!

Enzo doesn't do well with transition and changes. Ok I lied, he doesn't do changes and transitions period. So when we moved him out of his room (the "beach room" as he likes to call it) and into Ethan's room for them to share, that was more than enough to mess him up and the boy has only slept 2-3 hrs a night since (when we're lucky!)

We have a a separate dining room that we turned into a play/tv room last year for Ethan and Enzo.  We never used it as a dining room because we have an eat in kitchen.  And as a play/tv room, they never really used it either!  Ethan would sit in there to play on the computer once in a while, but not enough to justify keeping the space as is.

So figured we can turn it into an extra bedroom.  We'll eventually close it off with a door but for what we need right now, it actually worked out perfect! (God is good right??)

Ethan needed his own space that the 2 little kids really wouldn't go into.  Enzo just wanted his 'beach room' back and E need her room to be more 'nurse'-friendly and less Enzo-friendly.  Besides, E only plays wherever Enzo is and doesn't care to be in her room.

So, when we played chinese fire drill, Enzo got his 'beach room' back and he slept in it without a fight last night!  Ethan got his pre-teen space back without his little siblings in his business, and the nurse was so thrilled that we moved E to her new room!  She said she wanted to suggest it when she first came, but didn't want to intrude.

Plus, E's room is much closer to my room, which really is better for her and us.    No more Enzo around her medical equipment!

Now all I need to do is move our medical supply store to her new room...Yikes! just when I got majority of it organized and labeled!

I'm drowning in my zoo!

Ok I have to keep this short because my zoo is calling...

This is E's 2nd day home...E is starting to come down with a cold or something, but simple illnesses are always more complicated for children with a ventilator and a trach.  Enzo is flipping out because of the change in routine and workers/nurses that are in and out of our home and just not having more time for him.  Ethan's legs and ankles have cramped up again where he can barely walk (he gets like this once to twice a year).  Toots has been sick so he's jumped ship for a little while.

Toots started with a bad toothache that spread to his face and neck. Meds weren't working and he couldn't handle it anymore so he went to the ER at 215am only to been seen by a Dr at 730am for 5 mins and gave him meds without looking at anything else.  But by this afternoon he's been super dizzy and nauseous (not sure if it's the meds or not)

My zoo is outta control!  I'm out numbered by kids that all need and want attention...so pray quick!

ps....all this with an hour and a half of sleep.  i thought having an overnight nurse meant sleep for me??

Yee-Haw!

Dolls with moving eyes are creepy.  Dolls that cry when you flip them over, and dolls that talk, sing, or whatever are just wrong!  Hmm...come to think of it, stuff toys are included, but for the sake of my story, I'll stick with dolls.

Last week we were out of town to finish up medical training and spent time with 'E'. (I'll post that later, I'm just lagging) Anyway, Mama Michele decided it would be a good idea for us to start bringing toys, medical supplies, and other things home.  

So we pack up several things in my truck and we quickly realize that there's one of 'those' talking/singing dolls in the bag of toys she sent home. Enzo jumped in his carseat and was not too thrilled about the talking garbage bag in my truck.

Anyway, I haven't gotten a chance to rearrange the kids in their rooms but I did bring in the bag of toys and put it in what is currently Enzo's room.  Enzo, for the most part, really doesn't mind the dolls and sneaks around to play a baby doll or two (That's a whole other post!).  All except for this one scary looking cheerleader doll that 'cheers' when you push her tummy and ends with "Yee-Haw!".

There's been a couple of times that the  doll has gotten squished and it goes off, which has sent Enzo running at full speed outta his room!

So this afternoon, Enzo thought it would be fun to push the belly and run to my room to hear it on the monitor.  Only this time, after it stopped, it quickly started again on its own and wouldn't stop. Enzo was going crazy, he was on my bed fighting to get under the pillows and blanket!

That crazy doll is scary!  I didn't wanna go to his room either, but eventually I went in and pushed on her belly to make her stop.

I have a feeling that dolly won't spend very much time with our family.  Hope she isn't one of 'E's favorites, because it deifnitely isn't one of Enzo's!

It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day

Sunday afternoon was such a beautiful day with perfect weather (which is so rare in Florida), we decided to head to the park after Enzo's power-nap (yes, my 3 yr old takes a nap because YOU haven't been with him when he hasn't haha).

We have tried, pretty successfully, to avoid the park or anything remotely resembling a park for quite some time now.  The last time we took the boys to the park over the summer, Enzo FLIPPED out.  He's such a sensory kid that he was on MASSIVE sensory OVERLOAD.

He was running and running and running and never really 'played' on anything because there was just too much noise, too much scenery, too much everything!  All his running reminds me of Forest Gump, where he just runs....He was miserable, we were miserable, so yeah we really haven't been back till yesterday.

We had a pretty good time!  Enzo was better prepared to experience everything there, he didn't have to be so anxious, like he normally is, and I think we knew how to help him too!

So we started off with the swing, to help calm Enzo down before he had a chance to be anxious.

  

Don't let that face fool you, he actually hates the swing!  He's fine if its really low to the ground and slow. (Thats how the swing is at his Occupational Therapy.) I had to MAKE him stay on for a little bit just to show him that we weren't going to swing hard or let him fall out. But he was ready to get outta there!

So we went for a little walk down the trail and fed the ducks and watched people fish.  And of course Enzo would try to stick his big ol' noggin between the rails...

      

We climbed high...

  

we climbed low...

And of course what's a day at the park without stopping to play with...

CARS!

They played on the slides and anticipated the static shocks they'd get at the end of the slide.  It was pretty shocking! haha  Enzo got a kick out of getting shocked, he thought it was the coolest thing ever...that's my sensory kid!

  

The boys had such a blast playing at the park.  So after a couple of hours of fun and laughter, it was time to head home..

and they lived happily ever after!

THE END

ps.  We'll just pretend that we all left the park hand in hand like a happy family....wrong fairy tale!  Enzo decided that since he had such a great time at the park, that he need to bring his family back to reality by throwing a tanrum!  No pictures of that tho, because I'm still pretending...

That's ok, the tantrum was short lived and he got over it.  Besides who can blame the kid for wanting to spend more time at the park with BESTEST, COOLEST parents in the whole wide world! ;)

He belly-laughs

Enzo has never really been a TV a kid, unless of course it's Cars Movie or Herbie.  But this past week I'll hear him belly-laughing in the play room, only to find him watching Tom and Jerry.  And everyday this week he has asked for me to find it if the TV isn't on the right channel.

I feel bad, coz my child is watching TV!

Date Night at the "Coin Laundry"

We finally decided to just grab all our laundry, stuff it in garbage bags, toss in the back of the Jeep, and head out to the local "Coin Laundry" place.  2 Hours later, Wow, ALL of our laundry is done!!!  Can you believe it?  Don't get me wrong, we have our own washers, but its small and will take forever.  We used 55lbs loaders (I'm not gonna tell how many we used), but it was awesome!  The "Coin Laundry" place was impressively safe and clean.  And to top it all of, the Detergent, Softener and Dryer Sheets, and more garbage bags were FREE!!!.... another Wow!

It was hypnotizing.  Enzo did really well.  As long as its spinning, he's content.  Honestly, I like starring at washers too.  Even at home, I find myself starring at the washer as it spins before I close the lid.  But anyhooo, we are done!

No monster in the clouds

Enzo was in the kitchen finishing a snack, I was in my room helping Ethan with school, and the rain was pouring and thunder was roaring.  As the last roll or thunder ended, we hear Enzo say "Do it again monster!"

Ethan and I were cracking up, then Ethan said, "That's not a monster, that's Jesus in the clouds."

Looks like 'Grampa'

After I gave Enzo his bath this morning, I got him dressed and he looked down at his clothes and told me that he didn't like what he had on. So here's our conversation:

Enzo: I don't like this

Me: Don't like what?

Enzo: This and this (pointing to his clothes)

Me: What's wrong with what you're wearing?

Enzo: Look at it. I look like 'grampa'

 

I'm still laughing! So being the good mommy that I am, I stripped him down and had him help me pick something else out.

Enzo actually has a mind of his own! I mean, he's always had his own opinions but it cracks me up that he's learning to be picky about what he wears!

 

ps. I did NOT dress my child in grampa clothing! I am NOT uncool! =)

Belly laughs

Enzo's has such a contagious belly laugh.  He'll burst into laughter out of nowhere and can't control it.  He was watching something on Disney channel while I was getting his lunch ready and I could hear his uncontrollable laughter.

So later after lunch, he was giggling about something and I told him that I like his belly laugh and that I thought it was funny. He paused his laughter and lifted up his shirt to look at his belly. He tried to shake his belly and he just looked at me all confused and he said that his belly wasn't funny and it's not laughing...

His name is Joe...

Enzo is such a funny kid!  For the past couple of months, at least 2-3 times a day, he tells Ethan and I that his name is Joe.

I'm sure you are wondering who Joe is....Ha!  Took me forever to figure out who he was talking about because I am not a cool mom like that...

He insists that he is Joe Jonas from the Jonas Brothers.  So how does a 3 year old know who that is?  Not too sure, but I'm guessing his 9 year old Kuya (tagalog for big brother) has much to do with it.

So this morning after Enzo's bath, I was doing our usual dress up routine...lotion, Pull Up, shirt, pants, pick his hair (I have to use a pick because he has crazy curly hair), and I always put Biosilk in his hair (we call that hair lotion, it's the same stuff I put in my hair for my frizzies).

Well today, as I was putting hair lotion into his hair, he whispers to me and points to his sideburns and tells me to push it back (and he motions the way he wants it).  So being a good mom, I push his hair back.  Then he comes back to my face and whispers again.  This time he points to the front of his hair.  He whispers for me to push it down onto his face a little bit.  Not quite sure why he whispers all of this, because if you've ever met Enzo, his volume control is broken!

So I asked him if I did a good job fixing his hair the way he likes it.   He then touches the sides, pushes it back and then touches the front and pulls it down a bit.  Then he comes up to my face again and whispers, "I'm Joe, Joe Jonas..."

As he's walking away, I'm left wondering what just happened.  Then it hit me, he wanted me to fix his hair the same way Joe's hair is!  How funny is that!  Enzo cracks me up...

So tonight I remember all this, so I decide to look online for a picture of Joe Jonas.  So yeah I find Joe with the sideburns and hair falling down his face, minus the curly hair of course.



I wonder why he doesn't like one of the other brothers, because the other 2 have curly hair!

Currently reading

There's no place like home

It's nice to be home in your own bed, your own bathroom and your own mess....

Ever since we got home, Enzo keeps giving us hugs and kisses and saying "Thank you for taking me to mah home!" It's funny because he's been kissing stuff around the house, like his bed and his booster....

Crunch Time!

So we are leaving in a couple of hours for the airport and we're still packing.  Can't wait to just get on the plane and take a nap! Well hopefully Enzo will take a nap because he has been so upset with all the packing and excitement to ride the big plane.  He doesn't do too well with change and transition.  Last time he was this upset was when we went camping and he thought I packed his bag to go "back home".  I think he's still a little bit confused this time, because he keeps asking if I'm going to use the spongebob bag for his clothes (That's a whole other post!)

Talk to you guys later and pray for Enzo!!! (Well all of us really, but Enzo especially)