he said she said

Me: I haven't posted in a while, honey...I've been so tired and busy...

Him: I know, but you really should post about how she's talking so much now! You know, how she puts better sentences together, she's playing more with MBear...about how the antivirals seem to be doing their job, how she is able to do her (first grade) homework so quickly and stay focused - you know, all that?

Me: Well? Why don't YOU do it, then? *smiling wearily* I'll give you my password, then you ca...

Him: ...but I don't write as well as you do.

Me: *heaving a drawn-out, exhausted sigh* oh..kay......*snore*

mainstreaming and other updates!

Check out this super-cute message from NBear's mainstreaming teacher:

(sent via email)

MommyBear, She did fantastic on Friday also. She and I have a system where every time she lies down or rolls on the carpet, I count to 3. She gets up immediately after I count 1. Also transitioning, she does well with numbers. She had a spelling test on Friday and was able to follow. Of course, thanks to NBear spelling it out everyone benefitted. :)

Mrs. MT

Spelling her words OUT LOUD?
Whowudda thought?........*wink*

*deep breath* Now that I'm here in update land, I've decided to enumerate the ongoings of the last few days for ease of mind (on my part), and ease of reading (on yours):

1) the whole suppository (DMSA - chelation) deal went surprisingly well last night! She kept still enough that administering it was a success. I followed the directions and had her lay on her side, with her knees to her chest. Huz kept her occupied by reading her favorite Dora book with her. Now (as is always the case, it seems) we wait for the results after we send the test out on Monday. *happy thoughts and prayers needed here*

* I have to add that it was SO MUCH easier to do this challenge test because we only needed to take her first morning urine sample (since she slept through the night). That sure as heck beats having to follow her around for 6-8 hours, like a desert nomad collecting water.*

2) Next item on the agenda - the antivirals. Important note on Virastop, Acyclovir, and OLE: hang in there, guys! Trust me when I say that I actually had thoughts of giving up because NBear had become so different in the past 3 weeks- irritable, defiant (very!), apathetic, hyper - and I was so mad at the possibility that these meds were making her worse, and would KEEP her like this. She was also back on Diflucan at this point. The last three days have been the light at the end of the tunnel, though. So, you can make your appearance now, Mr. Sigh of Relief. :)

*She did have a mild rash on her back and upper thighs, which most people (including the Huz)would probably say is viral die-off. It looked a lot like eczema to me, but who knows? After a few scratching sessions, NBear seemed fine.*

Re: mainstreaming

It all started with this note in NBear's communication notebook:

9/2/08
NBear will start her mainstreaming tomorrow in Mrs. MT's class (room 4). She'll join the line of Mrs. MT and will stay with Mrs. MT until 9:45am. Mrs. MT wants to start without an aide. [I circled that last sentence and wrote: "What about fading?" next to it] Also, I'm sending home a "words for writing" guide. You can use the words as she forms the letters.

Ms. SDCT

....and turned into this non-person-to-person conversational piece! *LOL*

9/2/08
Please know that I am extremely nervous about sending her to her mainstreaming class without an aide. :( To start, NBear is not familiar with any of the students - so that will definitely be to her disadvantage. I'm very happy that Mrs. MT is willing to try out this arrangement, but I don't want her to become frustrated when NBear gets distracted - or worse, distracts her students. (Just my two cents).

I am looking forward to hearing about how her first day of mainstreaming went. Please email me when you get the chance.

- mommyBear

9/3/08 (via email)
NBear's first day of mainstreaming went well, but was not able to be on her own. In the beginning, the aide was just outside Room 4. He went inside to support NBear - when he saw her put her face down on the desk, rolled on the floor instead of following what the other kids were doing. After around 5 minutes - she was able to join the group, tried to listen, answered a question and wrote a one-sentence journal about a flower. She required constant redirection to get focus. We will continue to have an aide with her.

You can e-mail Mrs. MT. Don't worry, I have been mainstreaming kids in her room and we never had a problem. She's great with our kids.

Mrs. SDCT

9/3/08 (email reply)
Thanks so much for letting me know. It’s also good to know that Mrs. MT has been so supportive to SDC kids – that’s a relief, and makes me feel better knowing NBear is in her class. We all hope for the day she won’t need an aide.

Please give me her email, so I can also touch base with her, and vice versa.

I really appreciate you keeping me informed, Ms. SDCT.

~mommybear

9/3/08
You already have it in NBear's notebook. I've already talked to her and you can e-mail her.

~Mrs. SDCT

9/3/08
Hahaha J – sorry, Mrs. SDCT – I know that it is in NBear’s notebook, however, I am still at work. I can’t remember what her first name was.

~mommybear

9/5/08 *Yes, it was sent ALL-CAPS....oh well:)*

NBEAR'S GETTING BETTER EVERYDAY IN HER MAINSTREAMING. MRS. MT SENT THE BMT AWAY AND SHE DID WHAT THE REST WERE DOING IN HER CLASS. NBEAR STAYED THERE UNTIL 10 AM. IT WAS NBEAR WHO TOLD MRS. MT THAT SHE HAD TO GO.

AT ROOM 16 SHE DID A LOT OF WORK AND HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE HER BREAK AS WELL ON THE COMPUTER (15 MINUTES) AND ON THE TRAMPOLINE.

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT THURSDAY from 3:45 - 4:05.
(from Mrs. SDCT)

*So far, so good! Keep in mind that NBear is in the 2nd grade, though - and her mainstreaming class is a combo 1st and 2nd grade. :)*

Where is it?

My sense of order and sanity, guys?

I know I left it here somewhere....

So sorry I haven't been my old "post-er" self. So much to tell about NBear and her adventures in antiviral and suppository land (the latter one's still pending, but at least we have the little monsters, finally!)

I miss all my readers and co-bloggers, and have read up on most of my blogger pals' entries - I'm also a comment freak, so you'll know when I've visited:)

Carpe Diem! (bear with me - thought I'd type the first exclamation that popped in my head)

.....dang it - I thought I saw it under my bag...but it was just my sense of direction. Been missing THAT one for a while too.....

*In other news - Huz thought we should have cut NBear's hair like Posh Spice's alter ego. I.don't.think.so.

school daze

Yes, school has begun for NBear - since last week, actually.

Thought these were cute - the first one says she's EIGHT. *lol* I'm wondering what aide she managed to convince for that one...nice self-portrait, though! :)

Second pic shows a math skill strategy called TOUCH MATH. It is wonderful! NBear does so well on it. Her ABA friend Mandy (whom she still misses and loves) worked wonders with her at home, using this technique.

And the third pic?

Let's just say, the Huz and I are loving her teacher already. *wink*

uplifts and updos

Calm. Nice and calm.

I'm glad the past few days have been a bit better! (For NBear, not for me - still going insane trying to balance home life and going-back-to-work life. ugh) She is no longer the Tasmanian Devil she was a few days back. Thank goodness. Took her to work today - sans students - and she was her very relaxed self. Well, sort of - but today was better, nonetheless! *lol*

Perhaps the Huz was right with the whole die-off thing. (?) He still keeps the viral meds at twice a day (Acyclovir) even if it calls for 3 times a day, though. His reason being that "she already gets a lot of anti virals." Done.

In other news, I took NBear to get a haircut this morning because I could no longer stand the fact that she looks like a mare gone mad. (So does MBear, for that matter). To my dismay, Little Scissors was closed; however, the fates were on our side today when I saw a sign that read "Haircuts" at a strip mall close to work! *yeah*

I hated that I had reacted so judgementally, but when I first saw the small, Asian man with a goatee that rivaled a Chinese sifu's, I thought this entire experience was going to be a bad idea for NBear. HE is going to cut my daughter's hair??? In the past, NBear had such an aversion to males. When she was taking swim lessons and her teacher K was absent, she REFUSED to get in the water simply because her sub was male. And fourteen. (Who knows?) So naturally, my heart sank when I saw Mr. Hair Person.

Boy - if there was ever a time I was DEAD WRONG about first impressions, this would be it.

Mr. Hair was awesome with NBear! I told him she was autistic, but his weak smile and quick nod was an immediate sign that he didn't know what the heck I was talking about. He simply continued to cut, which was fine:) I realized after a few minutes that I felt odd, like something was wrong...and then I realized what it was: I was actually SITTING, and enjoying the US magazine supply this place had! O...M....G! NBear was actually okay without me by her side -- I screamed joyful phrases - no, ECSTATIC phrases - in my head. It was truly miraculous :)

*clearing throat* Now, just because I was sitting, didn't mean she wasn't talking. Oh boy.

Are we done yet? Look at all the hair! Wow~are we almost done? Look, Mommy! Is cutting - NBear's haircut! Is cutting with scissors! Oh oh! Be careful! (that one cracked me and Mr. Hair up)

When he was done cutting, he turned the hairdryer on and I froze, knowing she would probably either slap her hands quickly over her ears, or "shut down" altogether. She always hated that part. Much to my delight, she simply turned to look at Mr. Hair and said a very confident "That's too HOT!" before allowing him to proceed. *whew*

I LOVED the results! We are definitely going to pay this guy another visit when the time comes.

(This isn't her best angle, but just so you get the idea)

(Although the Huz thought it should be shorter around the parts that frame her face - did we mention she has a weird habit of eating her hair?)