2012 Is Good!

2012 has been good.  Joey continues to excel at school (and get happy faces daily).  Jose's work is going well.  We are all in good health.  I am busy with work and family, but also have some other projects coming up.  Joey will be starting a "listening program" soon.  I have ordered the specialty headphones and ipod.  I have met with the professionals - we are waiting on delivery of the items.  It's just a non-invasive strategy to assist him in organizing himself.  More to come on the successes with that.

Also, we are again considering placing Joey in the dual language program for Kindergarten next year.  I had abandoned the idea last year when Joey would become very frustrated when he was not 100% successful at tasks (on the first try), but he has progressed and now may be up for the challenge.  My concern is making school fun and an enjoyable place to attend versus too challenging and not feeling successful.  Anyway, Joey and I will attend the informational meeting next week to find out more.  Not everyone that wants to can attend the program (it's a lottery system) so. . . even if we choose it, it may not be an option.  Only time will tell where we will go with this.  The program teaches English and Spanish so by the time the students finish 5th grade, they are fluent in speaking and writing in both languages - such an advantage in life!

Joey attempting to find the most efficient way to brush his teeth.

My entertainer!

Hide and Go Seek in the front yard. 

Proud Joey with his Alphabet puzzles

We are currently dog sitting for some friends and have had some wonderful times with their sweet "Dot."  She knows many tricks.  In this video, Joey has Dot perform two tricks.  1.  Roll Over  2. Play Dead after being shot.  Too funny!

Monster Trucks and, Then, a Trip to Austin

Saturday afternoon, I received a phone call from Jose that his boss gave him tickets to attend the Monster Truck Jam in a few hours.  I'm not so spontaneous and had attended a monster truck show in the past which wasn't as impressive as I had expected.  Please, let me explain.  Kathy and I had always wondered about the excitement of these shows and joked about attending just to see what it was all about.  You have to try everything once, right?  So, I bought us a set of tickets one year as one of her birthday presents.  Anyway, the show was loud, smelly, and slow going.  Kathy and I were confused as to why the crowd?

Needless to say, I was not excited one bit about going to this monster truck show - except to let my guys have their experience of trying everything once.  I have to say I was surprised.  The show was still loud.  Luckily, we brought earplugs and headphones.  The smell, well, it was there but greatly diffused due to the size of the arena.  And, it seemed to move faster - now, this could be because we only stayed an hour, AND, I actually found the Robotosaur intriguing, and maybe, entertaining.  The guys enjoyed it - Jose more than Joey - he asked to go home at the hour.  I realized that this experience my greatly be affected by my gender.

Monday was a holiday so Joey and I were able to visit Marti and her family in Austin.  The trip had two purposes.  One, of course, was to visit Marti and her family which we BOTH always enjoy.  I don't have to encourage Joey to go even one bit - even with the hour and a half drive.  Two, Marti is our new OT assisting us with the Therapeutic Listening program.  I am still learning more about it, but this is a listening program which helps organize the brain.  This is the next step in my quest.  It can help with sleep issues (thank you!), motor coordination, attention, emotional control, sound sensitivity, and more.  I feel it's non-invasive, has research to support it, and why not.  Yes, Joey is functional, but if I can take away some of those frustraions to improve his quality of life?  Now is the time. . . the brain is young and there are no stigmas attached.  OK, enough of my therapist babbling.  More to come on this.

We had a great time, as always.  Joey and Suzy are a good match, very creative and driven by curiosity and new adventures.  Marti is a forever friend.  We met in college in OT school.  She was also my RA.  Marti and I are very different and very alike.  She is very accepting and extremely brilliant.  I always say that she doesn't see barriers only challenges. 



At the Monster Truck Jam, determined to be more
impressive by the male population.

  

Joey enjoying the newness of the event.




Me and Joey.  I will say one hour of this was painless. 
I thought of it as a social field trip.




The Arena (a photo for those of you
"less fortunate" to have not visited
a show of this quality.



One of the events - racing trucks, with
superhero names.





The machine who stole the show, Robosaur.  A humongous
dinosaur (obviously created by a man) who can pick up cars,
pull them apart with his hands or teeth, and can blow fire.
This show was not so noisy and I actually found it intriguing.


 

Suzy and Joey - had a great day on bikes,
on the trampoline, in the tree house, and more.




Cute, little Andy getting ready for bubbles.

  

Joey joined in the bubble fun and, then, Marti.


 

Andy and Marti



Just the Beginning of 2012

January has been good.  Busy, as usual, but good.  The first photos are of Joey and his friend, Vonn, at a restaurant.  Vonn's mother took the photos.  They are true action shots - a pretty good picture of what you would see if you were sitting across the table from them.  Joey had just gone to his first movie with a friend and his friend's parent (none of Joey's family was there!).  I could see the pride in his independence when he walked into the restaurant to meet me for dinner.  He didn't even acknowledge me.

(Side note:  When I see these photos, I can't help but thinking of my thoughts that night.  This same night Kathy was in a car accident.  It was a nightmare for me, too.  I was on the phone when it happened, heard her scream, the phone disconnected, and she didn't answer the phone for a good 15 minutes.  Luckily, she is OK - still a little sore.  She was at a stoplight when a car hit from behind causing a four car pile up.  She was squished between two cars.  Her car will be in the shop for a month!  It reminds me how precious our relationships are and how quickly life can change.  I am so happy and thankful Kathy is OK.)

Joey just received his report card and is doing well (says the proud mother).  He has also been getting "happy faces" in his folder every day!  He works hard at this, and I am so proud of him.  Joey enjoys his class, and they enjoy him.  It's a good situation.  We are blessed!

Joey continues to have a special "Nana and Papa Night" on Wednesdays.  I believe it is such a special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren.  They also see him for a few hours on Saturdays. 

 

 



Joey with his friend, Austyn, at school.  They had made flowers
out of these building blocks and sorted them by colors.  They had
a specific one picked out for me for my arrival.



Joey on the playground at school after school.
He simply loves running around even if it's by himself.



He started something new this week.  He likes to
race his ghost friend.  (One day "Bobby," one day "Nick")
He gets a kick out of who is in the lead and who wins.
I find him very entertaining with his new ideas and interests.




My spiritual journey has been a focus for me
over the last few years.  My dear friend, Cindy,
gave me this for my car.  He reminds me to keep things
in perspective, breathe, and enjoy.  He also
makes me smile!



2011 Finale!

Here's some final photos from 2011.  My dear friend, Marti, offered to take some photos of me and Joey when we visited her house in November.  I didn't post them earlier since I printed and framed some of the photos (as a surprise) for Christmas presents.  I just love these photos!