Lasts....

Since the beginning of November, Jake has had therapy three times a week with three different therapists....preschool integration, occupational, and speech. PHEW! Two of the therapists came to our home and one we went to visit at her office. Now that Jake has turned 3 years old and started special needs preschool, his one-on-one therapy has quickly and sadly come to an end and he now receives group therapy in school with his classmates. Here are a few pictures of Jake and two of his therapists, Alicia and Tanya. I'm sad to say that I forgot to bring my camera on Jake's last day with his occupational therapist April. I'm hoping that we can visit her soon so he can say hello and we can get a picture for him to remember her by.

This is Jake with Alicia his preschool integration therapist. Her goal was to work on Jake's social issues, expand his play skills with others, and to widen his focus from wanting to sit at the train table all day. I'm happy to report it worked! :)
Here they are "feeding" each character on the page the proper food choice.
And these are the two books that Alica gave to Jake as a goodbye present. He LOVES them both! Thank you Alicia! Both Jake and I will miss you and are so thankful for the time you spent with us!
This is Tanya Jake's speech therapist. Even though Jake had a special bond with all his therapists, Tanya seems to have made a lasting impression. Jake asks for her frequently and goes to sit by the window to look for her. Below is a video of him asking for "TONEya" one night.

I can't say THANK YOU enough to you Tanya for giving Jake a voice.

We will both miss you terribly.

Thanks for keeping it real Jake! ;)

And here is video of Jake reading his new book from Alicia.

Thanks Jake!

Jake has been working on buttons and if I'm wearing this coat he's like a moth to a light-bulb and comes running to help me....over, and over, and over. It might be time to reinforce the buttons as they are getting a little loose at this point. The mom in me is so proud and should have worn it out in public this way but the vain girl in me just couldn't make it past the garage door.
GOOD JOB JAKE! :)

Go Back....Way Back!

I finally loaded pictures from our last visit to Disneyland so....
scroll...
scroll...
scroll...
back to early January and check them out! :)

I'm Not Tired.....

Zack and Jake gave up napping in the afternoon a few weeks ago. UGH!

Actually, let me rephrase that.....Zack gave up napping altogether and Jake gave up napping in his crib. He's managed to squeeze some form of nap in pretty much everyday, just making sure it's not in his crib though. He either falls asleep in the car or I find him on the couch or the floor. At least they go to bed a little easier at night. Now if I could only get Jake to power through the day with zero nap and have him fall asleep the minute his head hits the pillow at 8:00 pm. That would be perfection!

This one is my favorite. The Al Bundy. :) Cute at 3 years old....but scary if I find him like this at 13.

Normally Zack manages to power through the day with zero nap but on these two days he decided to join Jake in a couch siesta and give Mommy a break. Thanks dudes! :)

Jacob's First Day Of Preschool

Jake started special day school two days after his 3rd birthday. It was bittersweet for me to take these pictures and have to leave him there and drive away with Zack. I think it was hard on Zack too. He is Jake's protector and big brother and even though they fight, Zack takes care of Jake and looks after him. Before Jake was diagnosed with Autism I always assumed that my boys would start preschool together....same time....same class....but I guess we don't always get what we hope for or expect out of life. A lesson for me to remember and for Zack and Jake to learn at an early age.

Here is the happy guy getting ready to go into his classroom!

"Where's everybody Momma?!?" (We were a little early. lol)

This is Teacher Laura. Jake seems to really like her and so do Brian and I. She has a very calm presence about her which makes me feel better when I have to leave Jake. Zack and I sure miss him but we're all excited for the progress he will continue to make and all the fun he gets to have with his teacher and fellow classmates! We love you Jake!

Birthday Party!

Zack and Jake had their 3rd birthday party at a local kid party spot. Lots of family and friends were able to join us and celebrate their big day. Thank you to everyone that sent special wishes whether it was via the party, an email, a gift, a card in the mail, or warm wishes via Facebook. Zack and Jake are blessed to have lots of kind and generous people in their lives.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

3 Years Ago Today...

3 years ago today my life changed more than I would have ever imagined or prepared for.

It became harder...

funnier...

stressful...

frustrating...

full of hugs...

full of laughter...(with some tears along the way)

but most of all, more blessed than I could have ever hoped for!

HaPpY 3rd BiRtHdAy

Zachary & Jacob!!!

Mommy and Daddy love you both so much!

Disneyland....YEP!.....AGAIN! :)

We took Zack and Jake to Disneyland (I know...big shock...but where else?) to celebrate their 3rd birthday a few weeks early. That way they got to celebrate a birthday at Disneyland but we didn't have to pay for them just yet since you don't have to start paying admission until your children turn 3. Sadly, now that they have turned "the big 3" I think our Disneyland frequency will come to a screeching halt. :( Sigh....

We met our dear friends, The Polling Family there and had the BEST time! Joanna and Greg have a 6 month old named Quinn and twins, Kat and Brody, that are 1 week younger than Zack and Jake. Together we celebrated four little ones turning 3 years old! It was so fun and all the kids got along great together. This was the second time we met up with The Polling Family at Disneyland. The first time was when all our twins were 1 1/2 years old. Maybe this will become an annual birthday get together? ;) In addition to hanging out with The Polling Family, we got to hang out with Joanna's Dad and Step-mom, Bob and Paula. They are truly great, warm, and generous people and made us feel so welcomed. I'll always remember this perfect trip as one of my all time favorite Disneyland trips.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Then....July 2008

Now....January 2010

Christmas 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I Scream....You Scream....We All Scream For ICE CREAM!!

Well actually fat free frozen yogurt....but still. :)

Good thing we were the only ones in the place or they probably would have asked us to leave with all the noise we (Jake) were making. :)
If you click on the photo it should enlarge so you can get a close up look at some of Jake's expressions. What a character! lol!

Holland

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

by
Emily Perl Kingsley.

c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

~

Today my beautiful, sweet Jacob was diagnosed with Autism.

As much as right this minute I'd like to wish today never happened, I don't want to forget the impact of this day when I look back after years have passed.

Mommy, Daddy and Zachary love you Jacob and are so very proud of you.

Thanksgiving

Brian's sister Tiffany and her husband Tom hosted Thanksgiving this year at their house. They have a beautiful home that is surrounded by grape vineyards. Zack and Jake love to visit Aunt Tiff and Uncle Tom and run all over their property. It was a very nice and relaxed Thanksgiving this year. Just what I needed. Thanks Tiff and Tom!

Grandma, Grammy and Daddy. What more could a boy ask for. :)

Jake and Zack run off some energy before we sit down to our nice meal.

I was "thankful" that Zack and Jake tried new foods that day. I just wish it would have lasted longer than that meal.

Happy Thanksgiving Honey! Love you!

Cute picture!....But where was Jake?? LOL

Here Comes The Sun!

Mr. Clean and Mr. Clean's Assistant

I'll take the help in any shape and form that I can get it! :)

Next on the list will be laundry. Then maybe vacuuming and toilets. Gotta train them early. :)