Back To School

This is the first week back for Lauren after CMS had their Spring Break. Lauren did not do so hot with the adjustment back into her school routine. Every morning went well, however, we had to wake her up each day. During the break she slept in and was used to that added bonus. School went fine for her and she had no bad reports. It was when she got off the bus that her inner beast was released causing utter and unyielding crankiness.

It was when her foot hit our driveway that the claws and fangs grew instantly and nothing was going to satisfy her. We couldn't do anything right for her, the world was about to come to an end, and we hadn't even made it to the front door yet. She spent the better part of the week coming in the door after school and going right to her room for time out.

As a teacher, I looked forward to these long breaks from school. As a parent, not so much. I now have a couple months to prepare for the long summer break. If this week is any indication how vacations from school are going to go, fall should be fun.

Encouragement

My sister -in-law, Kim, is so encouraging to me. Anytime she finds a story about a person that has Cerebral Palsy or a hearing impairment, she always passes it along to me. They are good stories that are filled with hope and inspiration and it does my heart a lot of good.

The lastest one she told me about was no different. It is the story about Miss Iowa and the Miss USA Pagent. Miss Iowa is the first contestant to have a physical disability (There was a contestant with a hearing impairment a few years ago). Miss Iowa has Cerebral Palsy and her story is amazing. There is a video link on the right hand side of this page that will show you what I am talking about.

Painful

For the last two days, I have been working out with my husband. For those of you who don't know, Ty is a former Marine in the Unites States Armed Forces. Translation: He knows how to kick my butt when working out. We did something called the Marine Corps Seven. There are seven different exercises that you do in sets of 20. Did you know that if you don't use your muscles for a long time then use them a lot, your muscles get mad at you? Mine are not on speaking terms with me. In fact, every time I move, they seem to yell at me. It hurts so bad then when I bend down to pick something up, there is a split second that I think my legs will give out from under me and I will never get up again.

The good news is that I am one pound away from losing 10 pounds! It is totally worth walking around like I just broke every bone in my body. It's only temporary, right? I believe that my muscles will one day work properly. I just have no idea when that will be.

Spring Break

Lauren is on Spring Break this week and home with Daddy until I get home from work. Please allow me to share the scene that I saw yesterday.

I came home to a little girl wearing only her pajama top, no pants (she takes them off so it is easier to use the potty and never puts them back on), running in circles with her Dr. Seuss backpack on pushing her shopping cart filled with food and a baby doll. Every once in a while I would see the flash of a bare white tushy fly by. It took everything in my being not to jump across and pinch the snot out of that kid's tush. It was too cute!

I wonder what I'll see today.

Lauren-isms

Here are some of the most classic phrases Lauren is learning to say. Even though the hearing aids have been in for a while, she hasn't quite got all the correct pronunciations of letters in the alphabet. It makes for a cute sentence every once in a while.

"Daddy, top it!" - translation: Daddy, stop it!

"I und peeta." - translation: I want pizza.

"Tank too, Mommy." - translation: Thank you, Mommy.

The most exciting thing is the fact that she says them without being prompted. That is a sure sign that these words are in her vocabulary and she knows how to use them correctly. This is what we have been waiting to see for a while now. I couldn't be more excited. There's no turning back now. I'm going to look back on this blog and wonder why I ever wanted to put an end to the peace and quiet. I have a feeling that she will never want to stop talking once she gets the hang of this. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Gone!

I finally got sick of brushing out endless numbers of snarls in the morning and decided to cut it all off. Lauren was an angel and watched 'The Bee Movie' the entire time. We went to a place called Doolittle's. She got to sit in a car and watch a movie while the lady cut her hair. I know she's my kid, but I have to say she looks awfully cute! Maybe now, Daddy will even do her hair before he takes her out into public.

I Scream, You Scream

This is the face of a happy customer. She loved her very first push-up from the ice cream man. You know it's a good day when red sherbert has reached your right arm. You should have seen the driveway....