HAPPY SIXTH BIRTHDAY NATHAN!!

Today - Mr. Nathan turned SIX YEARS OLD.   We didn't do much today - we didn't want to disturb his routine too much and just let him hang out doing whatever he wanted today.  Thought about taking him to the park - but it was raining.  So we just enjoyed the day at home.

Nathan shows how old he is... 

I asked him to smile, this is what I got!

He got two Skylanders for his birthday - Hot Head and Thumpback Giants ... 

Thumpback is eating his finger, you can tell by his expression, he's rather amused by this!  Hot Head it being held up by Calahan... it's like a good angel bad angel on the shoulder thing.. LOL...  

Calahan's girlfriend got to come over for a little while too :) 

The homemade Cake...  Pudding Frosting and M&M's on top

The homemade Cake...  Pudding Frosting and M&M's on top

The homemade Cake...  Pudding Frosting and M&M's on top

Nathan and his cake... 

Blowing out Candles.... 

Licking his lips ...  that's good cake!

Miss Marnie.. 

 A few days before his birthday - Nathan got a surprise present from Papa Russ ... he got him a Dune Buggy in his FAVORITE colors...

Nathan's Birth Day ...

Valentine's Day 2007 - Pregnant with Nathan

Six years ago today was that last full day I was pregnant with Nathan.  I didn't spend it at home, though.  I spent it walking the floors of Noah's hospital room because he was very sick, and I was told I could have lost him.  I don't want to make this about Noah, so if you want to read about how Six Years Ago, I almost Lost my Son...  you can click on that link and head over to the boys medical blog.

Six years ago should have been all about making last minute preparations to bring home a baby, but it wasn't.   One .... we knew we wouldn't in all likelyhood be bringing him home right away.   He was due on Mother's Day but he was coming early due to some medical conditions he had/has and how my body just tends to act like pregnancy is the greatest bother in the world, even though I love being pregnant. Two ...  I associate Nathan's birth with Noah almost dying.  (You can read about that over on My Unique Flowers: Six Years Ago I Almost Lost My Son) ... it wasn't the exciting time that it should have been.

Being the mom of "special needs" kids, I know that this comes with the territory, but sometimes, it's heartbreaking.  All you want for your child is a healthy normal life where they will thrive and have the chance to create amazing lives for themselves and their families.  Two of my kids, I'm not even sure they will have families.  Noah has a rare genetic disorder, I'm not sure if he can have kids.  Nathan, I'm not sure what the future holds for him with all his medical issues.

Regardless, on April 19th 2007 ... I kissed my five year old son on the forehead, told him I loved him, and next time he saw me, he'd have a new baby brother.  Then I walked down the hallway with my heart breaking over the fact that I had to leave one sick child, to give birth to another sick child.  It's hard.

We got in the elevator, pushed the appropriate floor - just one floor down from where we were - and when we got out ..  it was go time.

We were taken back to a Labor & Delivery room, and  prep for the c-section was started.  They shaved me, shoved a catheter in me, gave me an iv - the whole time I'm weeping like a baby.  Everyone was turning to Dennis ...  "Is she all right?" and then we had to go into this story over and over about Noah.

They took me back and had me sit up to get the epidural in.  The lady poked me - no kidding - twenty times, trying to get it in the right spot.  It didn't work.  She finally called someone else to do it and he got it in one try.  I had a bruise on my back that covered half my back from this ...

Dennis was finally let in, he said something about how he thought he had been forgotten.  Ha.. nope.  They just had to abuse me for 20 minutes or so ...

Nathan's birth was everything I had wanted Noah's to be and wasn't.  I was traumatized from Noah's birth because it seemed like they didn't care. It was an emergency c-section and when Noah had been born, they whisked him away without a word.  There was no announcement of his birth, nothing - the whole room was so quiet.  I didn't even find out my son had been born until he had been taken into another room.  All I had asked them was to let me see him alive - once.  He wasn't expected to live.  So if he had died right away like some of them predicted, I wouldn't have gotten that.  And I realize, he didn't die, and I did get my wish - but this traumatized me.  It still haunts me to this day.  It always will.

Nathan's birth - though - he was born, they all yelled "It's a boy" even though we already knew...  they brought him by me before taking him away in that little room where they take the NICU babies... Dennis got to take a picture of him passing by us...  of this tiny bloody baby ...

A brand new Nathan Patrick

Then he got to go be with the baby while they assessed him. Which I was so thankful for.  Nathan was in the NICU for less than a month.

He came home a couple days prior to his due date.  Dennis and I had to go through training for this NG tube.  How to take it out, change it every 3 days, put it in correctly... etc.  

Coming home from the NICU

Home at last

Those are some pictures of life after we got home, ones I don't think I've shared before.  We'd let him take breaks from pulling out one NG tube and putting in another.  We'd try to bottle feed in those times.  Encourage him to eat.

I had a gut feeling that if we took the NG tube out for a full weekend, and only let him bottle feed, he would get it - he would pick up on it.  I brought this up to the DR and he didn't like the idea.  Felt he'd be loosing too many calories if we did that.  But, I went against his advice, and followed my Mommy instinct.  It worked, just like I thought it would.   Then the talks of the feeding tube started.  I didn't work so hard to get him eating on his own only to give in and have him get a feeding tube.  Turns out - we know now, that the kids with the feeding tubes don't really gain anymore weight then the ones without.  So I'm glad I fought against it.

We've had a lot of ups and a lot of downs with Nathan over the past 6 years.  He's had many surgeries and hospital stays... it was hard to watch him change at 18 months when his Autism hit... but he is an amazing kid who makes us laugh and smile and fills our hearts with love and joy.

This past week ...

Sorry for the s#*^ ... up there ....   but it's worth it.  Kinda funny ...

This week - and more - has been a blur of hacking my lungs out, I have been buried by a mountain of tissues, I have taken enough meds to knock Mighty Joe Young out ... and kill any sort of parasite living with in my body ...  yet... I still cough, I still blow.... I still.... feel like I've been drug under a Mack Truck across country ....... getting hit by one would have been a blessing ...

I caught completely up on Hawaii Five-O and Revenge ... taking my DVR from 91% full to 63% full...  cuz... I was THAT behind....  and I got a few other things off too ...

I'm currently being pushed out of my bed by a four year old bed hog.  He's nice...  lovely actually.   He calls me his "best friend" so that makes up for all the abuse I take from him....

Oh dear .. .now he's fluffing my sheet ....  and stealing it ... taking it to the door and throwing it up in the air some more ....... I'm not sure I want to know....

That same four year old got glasses this week... his eye sight is really bad and he really needed them ... I'm glad we listened to our gut on him.  There are pics of him over on My Unique Flowers - but I'll share this one.... (or four) ...

These were taken on Tuesday when he got his glasses.  The bottom 3 are when he was at the Vision Center getting them ... and the top one is about an hour - hour and a half later ... he'd gotten use to them, realized he could see much better with them on, and we haven't had much of a problem in the last three days with him wearing them ... Isn't he a handsome dude with them?   He's a combo of Jonathan Lipnicki and Harry Potter ...  LOL...

I have been working hard over at the My Unique Flowers facebook page.  Before I got sick, we were at about 91 likes.  Today - (at the moment) - we are at 117.  I know that doesn't seem like much, but it's huge to me :)  I'm really passionate about bringing awareness ... so it's awesome :)

Well, I am going to close this off and take my pills and "stop coughing meds" that don't work .... at... all...  but I hope it'll help me sleep (even though it really doesn't do that either.) ....

I think I may have to watch Cops or Ghostbusters to get the goon to sleep.  Yes, you read that right - both shows put him to sleep!  LOL...

Goodnight ...

APRIL FOOLS ....

So it was nice to do April Fools Day this year.  With Dennis being sick last year and all that - we didn't do it.  Actually - I think we were all literally sick last year cuz we had planned on doing it.

Of course having a bunch of kids with Sensory Processing Disorders ... LOL.... we ended up eating most of it ourselves.  Well I didn't - but Cal and Dennis did - and Kaedyn liked the "hamburgers" ...

The "Magic Drinks" or "Deviation Drinks" came off of Pinterest ...    But basically - you are suppose to paint some food coloring on the bottom of clear cups and let it dry (thin layer of food coloring) ... and then cover up the evidence with ice.  Well, our "food coloring" hadn't dried yet and when I put the ice cubes in you could see the food coloring on the bottom a bit.  So we tried to distract the kids from noticing and it worked pretty well....

 We called the kids over individually and they were all amazed - "How'd you do that?" and I'd just say ... "Magic" ...  LOL...   it was cute.

 Cal got a light green, Kaedyn the darker green, Noah the blue and Nathan the red (was supposed to be pink) ...  All the kids drank theirs except for Nathan, he avoids red foods and doesn't like 7-UP ... but he thought it was cool.   I thought there was a chance he *might* drink it since it was pink - but it came out more red... he called it red...

Divinations Class Drink (inspired by Harry Potter)

To create this activity, you'll need:

• clear cups (plastic or glass)
• food coloring
• ice
• clear liquid (we used 7-UP)
• a sign describing what each color predicts. (which we didn't do)

The process is simple.  Well ahead of when you want to do it, paint a smudge of food coloring (I used reg food coloring, and that may have been our mistake, it's suggested that you use Americolor gel food colorings) on the bottom of each cup and let dry.

When the time comes that you want to use it, fill a cup with some ice (to cover the smudge of food coloring) and place it in a child's outstretched hands.  Show them how to hold their hands out on front of themselves.  

It feels strange and mystical, and is the perfect misdirection to prevent them from having any chance of seeing the food coloring on the bottom of the cup.  I suppose you could use an opaque cup, but then the end result wouldn't be nearly as dramatic.

Have the child concentrate on her future, then add the clear liquid.

The wonder and delightment is the best part.... 

You can see the original recipe and pictures at Tradewind Tiara's Blog ....

Funny story with the "Cups of Dirt" ...  or "Dirt Cakes" ... Nathan wanted nothing to do with them, again, go figure.  Noah and Kaedyn were very convinced that they were - infact - cups of dirt.  Dennis did them, and he was supposed to use chocolate pudding, but he didn't think of that ... regardless I tried to hand Kaedyn a cup and asked him

"Do you want to try some dirt?"

He shook his head.

"But it's really good...." and I took the spoon I was holding and dipped it in the top of it... pulled some out ... mostly the "dirt" ...  "Are you sure you don't want to try some?"

He shakes his head followed by a "NO!"

"Are you sure?" and I pushed the spoon towards him.  I kept getting shaking of his head and no's ... so I said I would eat it and pushed the spoon towards my mouth and acted like I was scared to eat it.  Pushed it back towards him and asked "Are you sure you don't want to try it first?"   He shakes his head again.  "Should I try it first?"

"Yes, Momma" ...

I acted all hesitant and then ate it.  His eyes got super big ....  asked him again, and he still said No....  so I said "What if I told you it was cookie dirt and pudding?"

So after a little hesitation he tried it and was all NUM ... lol....  then he went around the rest of the night talking about cookie dirt.

Noah was watching the whole thing.... LOL.... he was shocked too but after Kaedyn was NUM ... he figured it was safe enough and ate some.

We found this recipe on All Recipes...

CUPS OF DIRT

Ingredients

• 1 (20 ounce) package chocolate sandwich cookies
•  1/2 cup butter, melted
   2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
   3 cups milk
   1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
   1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
  
  

Directions

Original recipe makes 1 - 9x13 inch pan

Using a blender or food processor, crush 2/3 of the cookies. Stir in the melted butter, then press into a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together instant pudding and milk. chill in freezer until thickened. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese into the pudding. Fold the dessert topping into the pudding mixture by hand.

Spread over the prepared crust. Crush the remaining cookies in the blender, and sprinkle over the top of the pudding layer. chill for at least 4 hours or until serving time.

Again ... if I had picked stuff up - I wouldn't have gotten gum drops with the sugar on the outside.... and I would have uses frosting or something do make the ketchup and mustard - or something...  and we didn't do the sesame seeds on top... nor did we "bake" them...

And again, this recipe was found on All Recipes ....

Ingredients

•  4 drops green food coloring
   1/2 teaspoon water
   1/4 cup flaked coconut
   48 vanilla wafers
   24 chocolate covered thin mints
   1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions

Original recipe makes 2 dozen

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, combine food coloring with a few drops of water. Add coconut and cover the container, shake until coconut is tinted. Set aside.
3. Place 1/2 of the vanilla wafers, flat side up, in an ungreased cookie sheet. Top each wafer with a peppermint patty. Place in the oven about 1 minute or just until chocolate begins to soften.
4. Remove cookies from oven and sprinkle each mint with 1/2 teaspoon coconut (for lettuce). Place another vanilla wafer on top and press gentle. With a clean paint brush, brush the top of each hamburger with just enough water to moisten so that the sesame seeds will stick when sprinkled on top of each cookie. NOTE: You can use canned chocolate frosting in place of peppermint patty, then eliminate the baking.