Finally we are getting somewhere!

Yesterday Miles and I met with a wonderful psychologist that a friend recommended for Andrew. She was very encouraging! And she thinks he has enough traits of autism to warrant formal evaluations! So the process has begun... it starts with us (me) filling out A LOT of history and questionaires about behavior, development, and tendencies. A lot of which is from his first year and his first three years!! I have to get his baby book out to remember certain things... mommy brain is in full swing these days!!!

We have 3 wks worth of appointments set up, including observation/evaluation time with Andrew... She is even going to his preschool to observe him!!! I am so relieved to finally be on a path that looks like it will lead to some help and resources for us/him to make his life as successful as possible!

Wheww.... I feel like I am finally able to take a deep breath about the whole thing :)

Andrew mini-update

Andrew and Lincoln were really excited the first time it snowed, it didn't hang around but it was fun to watch for awhile.

Seeing this picture reminded me of the saying "watching the grass grow". Well, I've felt

like we've been watching it snow when it comes to Andrew's issues.

We saw a child psychologist in December and I was less than impressed. The office never sent us our pre-appointment paperwork and the doctor told me within the first 5 or 10 minutes that he didn't think we were dealing with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), that all his issues were likely ADHD. Then later he did a very unscientific "test" with a toy that Andrew responded to totally different than he expected and threw off his ADHD diagnosis. So... I decided to NOT go back. Instead we have taken some time to visit with other people about their experiences and we now have an appointment scheduled for next week for an initial consultation for Miles and I, without Andrew. Which already sounds WAY more appropriate for what we need.

School has been okay. He actually does really well academically (he is very intelligent), it's still the social/behavioral/adjusting to transitions that are the biggest struggle, with some improvement though. I still fear that he is falling between the cracks because of being in the mixed class with about half "normal" students and half that are developmentally delayed, and a lot worse than him.

Home has been a real struggle lately and I'm sure having Amelleah and having my own emotional issues doesn't help. We hope to learn what we are doing wrong, what we can do better, and what we should start doing. He has changed a lot since school started which is encouraging. At least I don't feel stuck but it is VERY slow changes... like watching the snow fall!

***If you are wondering what all this about Andrew is you can read it here

http://kennedyfive.blogspot.com/2010/08/meet-andrew.html

For your weekend watching pleasure

Amelleah rolled over a week ago or so and I thought it was a fluke... later the same day when I was gone she did it for Daddy.. TWICE! No fluke, she's continued to do it! And she is pretty fast at it if she is mad. I have tried several times to get it, this was my only success!

Here is a little video from Davis' 8th Birthday... Lincoln is really cute at the end of us singing!

Lincoln LOVES it when Amelleah is on the floor and is always trying to help with her pacifier or laying with her or talking to her... he is just too cute with her!

This is kind of a long video of Amelleah and really it's for my Grandma!

Misc Pics & Birthday Boys

The kid's gingerbread house... each older kid did their own part of the house. I'm not quite sure what the red frosting was all about but it looked rather morbid!

And if you look closely, the snowman and gingerbread man only have 1 eye????? aliens?? Sydni before the Christmas program at church

Lincoln has become obsessed with the "potty"...

we now have a 2-in-1 toilet seat!

Although I am not completely thrilled with this obsession I have been trying to give it some

attention as life allows!Is she cute or what???

More videos coming soon... she is smiling a lot and nearly laughing!

LOVE this pic! She was out cold and daddy wasn't far behind!

Lincoln is always helping with vacuuming!

Headed to church

This has got to be my favorite outfit so far... it's all sweater material.

Check out the adorable socks from some friends!

Checking out one of her Christmas presents... she loves it!!

We now have an 8yr old, 5yr old, and... well... 30something year old!!

Unfortunatley there was not a lot of formal celebration this year. Sickness seemed to trump any plans we would have liked to have. We did go shopping to spend birthday money... 6 days after Christmas!!We gave in... nerf guns AND extra darts!

I think next year we will go back to having seperate birthday cakes and hopefully a wiser choice with the birthday money... instead of shopping!! FYI- Miles had an apple crisp the night of his birthday, with a candle and all... after the kids went to bed, so I have no pics!