Monday, October 27, 2008

And so it goes

David asked me yesterday if I'd written a new entry lately, and I said no...then, I couldn't help but wonder (thanks, Carrie)...

Why haven't I written a new entry lately?

I guess the quick answer is that not much has been going on, in the larger sense. No huge crises, no earthshattering events, no new problems. So that's good.

The smaller everyday issues persist, of course. Stephen is no closer to being potty-trained than he was at age 3, and to be honest, I haven't concentrated on this issue. I have a book that is supposed to help, but I haven't taken the time to study it. I don't know how long I'd need to spend with him to accomplish this feat, and time is one of the things in short supply lately.

On a positive note, however, I did find a solution to the bedtime bed-wetting/leaking problem. He hasn't given me a hard time about wrapping him up in an extra-absorbent nighttime diaper, so thank goodness for small (HUGE) favors.

Stephen continues to be an extremely picky eater. He is overweight, and it worries me. We've tried to cut down on his serving sizes, but his food choices are basically: carbs, carbs, carbs, an occasional McDonald's burger, and more carbs. Not the best way to stay slim and trim, but again...I don't know how to MAKE him eat fruit or veggies. Perhaps a variation on the popular "first/then" concept would work...he understands that, so that's a possiblity. I'll file that away for future reference.

He is still having a love affair with the wonders that Internet Explorer provides...he spends HOURS surfing his favorite sites, with occasional breaks to hop on the couch, or run to his room. God forbid the DSL start to lag...if it does, then Stephen's mouse-clicking increases in frequency, which slows things down even more... It's very hard to try to teach him to wait, or that he's actually making things worse. Sometimes we have to re-start IE, and that nearly sends him over the edge.

It's sad to see him express his intelligence in so many ways, but at the same time be unable to understand the consequences of certain actions, or to understand that we're trying to help him when things slow down. It also becomes a bit taxing on the ol' nerves to hear the Dora the Explorer theme or the "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" song from Aristocats start and stop and start and stop and start and stop...he loves repetition, and that's how he learns a lot of things, so I guess we can't have one without the other.

Thankfully he's as enthusiastic as ever about school - every weekend he asks, "Schoo?" and when we say, "We don't go to school today, today's Saturday (or Sunday)." He'll say, "All done schoo - today's Sunday." It's really cute, and it makes me feel great that he's so involved and enjoying his days there. Our school system is the best in the state as far as special education goes, and we are grateful every day for that.

Kerry is plugging along in school as well. He made all A's and was so proud - he worked hard for an A in math. He's such a great kid - we couldn't ask for a better son. I told him the other day that I was proud of him for how hard he works...but also, that I really, really LIKE him. And it's true. I enjoy spending time with him, and it occurred to me that some parents might not be able to say that with a straight face. We hit the jackpot with this kid.

And so it goes...the weather's turning cool here, and I couldn't be happier. This is my favorite time of year, as the days get shorter and the nights cool and crisp. It feels good to be home in the evenings, and to be planning for the holidays. Even with the constant stresses and strains of daily life, I find myself stretching a bit harder toward the positive side of life. The traditional joys of Thanksgiving and Christmas almost always get to me, and force me to be happier, just because I make that choice.

Thanks to everyone who consistently reads this blog, and offers support. You make things easier, and for that I am always grateful.