Crazy nights, and sleepy days

I know it's been awhile since my last blog, so much to talk about but I can't talk about it because, I'm tired. Why am I tired because inky has developed a sleep disorder the same one that has plagued. Binky, so what am I to do well everything. Right now I'm sitting in inky's room where we are currently having the battle over the iPods . I won! I don't mind hearing advice, on sleeping its just I've done it all. Warm baths, Epsom salt, melatonin no electronics, cold room, dim lights. He just doesn't go to sleep. For some reason if I leave the room he wakes up and freaks out but if I stay in the chair he stays asleep. Binky did the same thing. Oh I see dr good on Thursday for inky's first solo appointment. Hopefully we can figure out what is happening. See the head under all the blankets there's Inky!

NO! I don't want to do a visual schedule and you can't make me.

FINE! I'll do it but I am not going to be happy about it. What you thought it was Binky talking? No its mommy, there is so much work to do on these. Do you know how hard it is to schedule your family's whole life and then I have to find a picture of the certain activity. I have broken down the days

Binky's day:
Weekday with school:
Wake up
Open Shade of window
get dressed
take meds
Hug mama
Eat breakfast
put on coat
get backpack
get in car
go to school
Speech and OT on Monday

After school
get home
take off shoes
change clothes
take meds
play time
ABA on Wed and Friday
homework
dinner
bath
brush teeth
meds
bed

Weekend
get up
eat breakfast
go outside
snack/lunch
ABA on Saturday
playtime
workbook
playtime
dinner
bath
brush teeth
meds
bed.

Now which visual schedule do I use?!






All this makes my head spin, and the I have to get a app called iprompt. It is supposed to do wonderful things and I can put it on his ipod and he will always have it.  I know it is necessary, he just doesn't understand what is happening. This summer everyday he said "No School!" and EVERYDAY we told him "No Binky it's summer so there is no school." he would be like ok and go and play on his ipod. For three months this went on, I have learned a valuable lesson just because they can talk doesn't mean they understand. so on I go to find the clip art and the design I need, oh and there are a lot of pictures for free but if you want it to look really nice and professional which is important to Binky because he like consistency, you have to use a professional program that cost a lot of money. ok no more using escape behavior to avoid doing the task.

One kid up and one kid down.

A funny thing about kids, you get one to bed and another wakes up. You get that kid to bed and another wakes up. Inky had been sick and so he really wasn't sleeping well and I knew once he was better he would go back to bed again, but at least Binky was sleeping. NOW Binky is awake and Inky is sleeping. So I thought I would write while, the other one thinks I am going to get him his Ipod, I am hoping that by waiting he will get so bored he will fall asleep. We shall see

I went to this conference that the Region of Binky's school district put on for special needs parents, it is a wonderful thing to have available to us. I spent most of my chosen session in ones that had meltdown or frustration in the title. I did do a Potty training lunch bunch meeting,Yep it sounds gross talking about potty training while eating lunch but I was the weird girl who would watch operations and eat at the same time.


For Inky's potty training, I am going to set up a DVD player in the bathroom and a toy box just for the bathroom, also going to take some data and see if I can see when Inky is going potty and try to time it.   The whole thing was very helpful.



For Binky's homework issues we are going to buy a desk and set up a homework station in his room. For meltdowns and other issues we are going to have to do a visual schedule, I always thought that with Binky being verbal that I didn't need to do that, but it turns out Binky needs the visual to fall back on. He can understand words, he just can't keep what I am telling him in his head.




There was even something in the conference for hubby and me, one of the presenters told us, "Parents you need to make a time once a month for three hours for YOURSELF, and once a month or every two months, you need to make a DATE night." So this Thursday I am throwing hubby out. He does so much, like let me go to an all day conference and he watched the kiddos, he needs to be by himself, and relax.

Well I hear a little something upstairs and I am hoping it is Binky finally going to sleep. At least I got the crazier Inky asleep. Binky I can handle.

Allergies, Antibiotics and Attitudes Oh my!

Dr Good mention one time that having allergies can interrupt the REM sleep cycle. The can prevent a person going into REM and staying there. For me that means Binky doesn't sleep. Inky is following his brother with the no sleep thing. Hoping the allergies goes away soon. like tomorrow!



We had a little cold a while back, it was no big deal it was gone in a week. Inky got his first ear infection, at age 4ys.  ( I can hear several of my friends saying very naughty words right now, I'm sorry Inky never got them) It was hard for me because Binky only had one and that was 2 so its been a while since I had to deal with it. He got put on an antibiotics, and it just upset his tummy which led to another delay of potty training.

Cold, Ear infection and reaction to antibiotics, has made Inky such a pill. I had to hold off again on potty training, he has to be in a good mood and good health to proper potty training.  It is driving me nuts, I know if we could really work on it, then he can get out of diapers.

With Inky attitude, it has made Binky a pill too. He will lash out at his brother also Binky thinks that if he whines and moans like his brother that is going to get him something and if that doesn't work, lets knock over a whole bucket of mop water. Poor Binky he still had to do his work.  Binky's ABA was very proud of me, I don't know why, when you learn that ignoring bad behavior makes it go away, you stick to it.

Well I have to get some sleep. hopefully that will be today. I really hate allergies.

Sickness and Puppy Bowl!

Well this has been an unusual week, Binky got sick, its nothing too serious but he has a horrible wet cough and he is very tired this week he has taken four naps, and still went to bed when he was supposed to, so kinda of surreal here. Inky just picked up the bug and I think I have it, I feel bad when the boys get sick but I have to say I do secretly love it. Illness is the only thing that will slow my boys down and I need them to be slow.

So today is the super bowl, which I don't even a little bit care about. I am a baseball girl. Every year for the past 9, Animal Planet puts on the Puppy Bowl, in case you don't know what it is, greatest show ever, puppies with toys playing for our amusement, hedge hog cheerleaders and they have a blimp being flown by hamster, which are really good drivers because there has never been a crash. Inky is now 4 is really enjoying it and laughing at all the puppies playing with all the toys, Binky who in real life is afraid of dogs is also enjoying it and acting like a puppy and likes to kind of bounce on me like a puppy.

I had planned on having a puppy bowl party but with everyone sick it is just not the same but at least they like the puppy bowl and I would like to thank Animal planet for playing the bowl on a loop. We are just going to stay on this channel all day.

Having one child with Autism and another without presents unusual challenges. Both have been near impossible to potty train, and Inky is just not ready. I am sticking to it but when Binky had problem there were resources with Inky I'm all alone.

on the other hand, there are some wonderful things happening for Inky, He asked me for some red fruit snack but we were out so I told him we were out and would he like some blue fruit snack instead, he was like yes please. I realized he never threw the same tantrums as Binky. When we ask Inky how are you? Inky responds to us I'm fine or today he said I don't feel good. Binky still doesn't do this.

Binky is giving us a run for our money, I think this is his first official regression, he is having his attention tantrums again, I thought we were over that but they are back and he is having some compliance issues with homework, especially Spelling. He hates writing, and for us I am not sure what to do but Team Binky is on the case, he has a Private Speech and OT and he has a school Speech and OT, a private ABA, two different ladies to help with a wide range of issues. and he is in a special charter school for Autism, so I really feel like we are doing all we can we just all have to ride out this storm, and hopefully Binky will come out stronger.

Death and Autism, Yep I'm not ready to deal with.

There is a little boy, who has died from cancer. I am friends with his mom. It really hit me hard, I can't image the pain she must be going through. She and her family will always be in my heart.


This an some of the current events going on in the world, made me think about two boys, Binky with Autism and Inky who is only 4. My mother asked me if Binky had asked any questions on the shootings. I looked at her like she had lobster crawling out of her ears, I told her " No! we watch Disney Channel, and I shelter my kids" I have even talked to my friends about death and bad things, Do we tell your kids? I chose not to, Inky and Binky didn't remember the little boy who came to Inky's third birthday party but I do, All the boys ran around and played and laughed and had a great time. I will remember, even if they don't. My boys don't know that the other boy at the party is gone now, and for me I am grateful that I can for a little while longer shield them from the world.

Binky and Inky do not know that something is gone forever, and death is something we have no way to explain to them. We don't watch the news with the kids and Disney Channel and their videos are the only thing that plays over. Even when a Disney movie shows a mommy or someone dying, its like my kids skip that part.

I went to the funeral of the sweet Mr Cheeks, the boys who died of cancer, he was just the sweetest little boy and I am so sorry that he is no longer with us, he gave all the kids a stuff animal and I chose bunnies for my boys, I told them that the bunny was their friend. Binky named the bunny after his friend and I thought that was sweet and nice. There will be a time when I have to explain all of this its just not right now.

Happy Holidays! Breaks are very much needed.

What am I waiting for with much delight, but the sign of
UPS truck on finally cold Texas December night, I am hoping that a packaged wrapped with care, of a no longer made Dinoco Helicopter will soon be here. I check the website and the tracking number to see that Santa's helper will be here on the 20th by the eve. so now I will take my leave and in part I say, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Yeah I think I butchered that pretty good, and you people got your money's worth. Yes Binky's only request this year is a blue Dinoco helicopter from the first Cars movie. He told us it was at the Disney store but when we went they were gone, and what to do, go to Amazon and pay, but alas I was able to use a $50 credit and it only cost me 1.94, so thank goodness for small breaks.
Speaking of breaks the car of ours was doing some major funny things, I leave that to hubby to deal with but, because it is our only car, hubby has to rent a car for the week, and he took Binky to the car rental office so they could go straight to Binky school afterwards, and Binky waited very nice in the office. No meltdowns or any other bad behaviors, ABA waiting trials really work people!
For you Inky fans' it has been suggested that I write a book on the antics of Inky, It will be using the same model as Marley and me. Inky it is a good thing you are so cute and lovable, because you make your mommy earn her early bedtime.
Inky antics include, hiding a pumpkin in the house that it took us two hours to find, it was in his toy chest. That would have been fun to find in a week.
Throwing paper towel rolls over the banister and hanging on to them at the top of the stair, my house looked like it was involved in a prank. my personal favorite Inky smells like a field of flowers now, because yesterday as I am cleaning up the bathroom, Inky comes in and has taken off his clothes and grabbed the bottle of bubble bath, I didn't know he could twist off caps, and he proceeded to pour bubble bath all over himself. so he got a very nice bubble bath in my bath tub. I was even kind enough to get his bath toys for him. he then got out of the tub and ran naked through the upstairs to avoid hubby drying him off. Yes, a 4yr old got the best of two adults.  now what to call the book, Inky and me , the life of Inky! that darn Inky! or Inky: the musical!

I can't leave Binky out of crazy antics, a package came and I thought it was something from a family friend, which I let Binky and Inky have those early. but no it was the gift from Grandma, a Flo's Gas Cafe from the first cars, I open the package and quickly saw what it was and taped it back and then I had to leave the box to deal with Inky, my mistake, Binky open the box back up and brought the whole box upstairs and open the package and I didn't even know he could open it and he asked me to put it together which at that point the mystic is gone so I did and Thanks Grandma! they love the gift. Little silly boys!

Looking very forward to the break, Binky gets tired you can see it. When we ran out of Speech and OT hours he was behaving better but you could see he is more tired, I went ahead and made a decision to cancel all therapies and for the break. We are going to relax as a family and play with toys and make some Christmas crafts,( we have already started and Binky has been very open to trying a little, he colored a wooden ornament of a penguin red, he told me "the penguin is hot.") I really love it!  I am thinking about making hubby's work some of my sugar cookies but if I don't maybe I will make them family.

Its been a long year so thanks for listening so far to my voice, I am just starting to find it. Be patient with the break, breaks are good and bad for our kids. Go have some fun! and Happy Holiday from our family to yours.