So yesterday Ocalamom had a tent at Kidfetti.
HOLY GUACAMOLE, we were BUSY.
We got slammed.
I LOVED IT.
That being said I realized how old I am on my drive home.
I was so sore from the top of my head to the tips of my toes....literally.
My arthritis was acting up.....I am surprised I didn't break a hip.
Just kidding about the hip....but I really do have arthritis already.
When it flares up I giggle to myself as I take my Osto-Bi-Flex and remember the commercial with all the old farts speed walking after taking theirs.
Yes I am a freak.
I had to take BOTH kids.
Yes both of them.
I need to brag on my babies...THEY WERE AMAZING.
Makily is ALWAYS a good girl, long as she has Spongebob she's set.
J on the other hand is a maniac when he gets bored.
I was so proud of him, he did not scream, yell, or throw tantrums (okay maybe one early on but he was bored). Once our tent got hopping he was in HEAVEN. He loved all the commotion and people. He was content hanging out by my sister Elizabeth watching her blow up and give out balloons. He REALLY loves other kids. He squeals and reaches out to them. He tried to take some lady's purse. I apologized and told her he was a pick pocket already. She didn't think it was as funny as I did though?
He LOOOOVED Matt Manatee and actually snuggled with him. This surprised me since he FREAKED out for Santa. A guy came up with a news camera (I think that's what it was) and taped J snuggling with Matt. I won't tell you who was in the Matt Manatee suit but I will give you initials....first name is Trish....last name is Two....maybe he knew his Auntie Trish was in there and that's why he snuggled? She is on camera in the suit.....SOOOO HILARIOUS! I didn't dare get in the suit, it's hard to walk in and you can't see well either. I fall just walking. Can you imagine me in a huge Manatee suit rolling on the ground trying to get up?...not cute.....not cute at all!
Makily got super hot but handled it well. I kept dousing her down with cold water (in her hair), then I would sit at the front of the tent with her. It was actually cooler out there then in our tent. Explain that? Anyway they had a "blow up dancing air puppet" near our tent and she laughed and LOVED watching that.
We had balloons we were giving out and we tied a couple to the double stroller and Makily loved playing with them. A couple of mom's came up that are from Ocalamom and wanted to meet Makily. Gave me warm fuzzies. One little girl and her mom met us up at Light Up Ocala. Suzanne and Katie. Katie wanted to see Makily again and she took pics with her. My baby is so famous. She's touched so many people. I am so damn proud of her I can't stand it.
We had wooden maracas that the kids could paint or color with markers.
Just FYI, if you want a maraca to dry fast...use markers...not paint. The kids loved it either way though, great idea Trishtwo....you rock. We gave out 1,000 of them....yes ONE THOUSAND maracas. That and a ton of balloons and other promotional stuff. My sister Elizabeth has a blister on her finger from tying balloons. She was a huge help. Chontee came by and brought Bri and Cole. She helped with the balloons again (she was a huge help at Light Up too). We really had a rhythm going didn't we guys?
I had two "moments".
I need to think of a name for moments like these. I always get this feeling that I can't describe when things like this happen.
First one was a little boy that came up and pointed to the helium tank. We had someone out front giving out the already blown up balloons and we told him to go up there. He looked confused. I told him again and then he started to walk away....still looking confused....IT HIT ME, he couldn't hear me. I looked at Elizabeth and said "blow him up a balloon, he can't hear me". I tapped him on the shoulder and held up one finger and said "just a sec". His brother said "he can't hear you" I told him I had just figured that out and I was getting him a balloon.
Is it totally lame that I just wanted to hug that boy like crazy?
Don't worry I resisted the urge and just gave him a balloon instead.
Later on I was going for a Port-A-Potty break (EL PUKO....that was typed in Spanish for Michelle LOL). I got right to the entrance of our tent and saw a mother knelt on the ground next to a boy that was about seven or eight. He was in the fetal position on a quilt crying. I asked her if I could help, did he fall? I felt like a moron as soon as I asked if he fell because he was obviously laying on a quilt. She said "he has autism, his sister wants to stay but this is really overwhelming for him". I asked her if there was anything I could do to try and make things easier for her....a drink........anything. She said water. I got a bottle of water out of our stashed cooler and gave it to her. I helped her move him to the side of the tent and then told her to get me if I could do anything else....to take her time. I didn't want to hover over her, I am sure she felt all the eyes passing by watching her.
I found myself also wanting to hug the crap out of this mother and her son. She felt torn I am sure, her son was unable to deal with all the excitement and her daughter wanted to stay for the fun. What to do? Eventually I saw they were gone so I am hoping he was able to get himself back together and enjoy the day.
I have to laugh at the irony of me RUNNING to disabled kids. I swear before Makily I would have been running the other way like my hair was on fire. Okay not blatantly running but I had no idea how to act around differently abled people and felt horribly awkward. I wouldn't have wanted to hurt their feelings so I just avoided. Now I find myself wanting to hug all of them, get to know them, their parents, hear their story, let them meet Makily etc etc.
I am so changed.
It's a good change I think ;-)
**************************************************************
Some VERY good, VERY promising things happening with J's case. I can't give details but for now things look good. I am cautiously optimistic. VERY CAUTIOUSLY. I know how quickly things can change. I do not think that this case is going to end any time soon though. Obviously I wish that it would but I am being realistic. I have been joking that by the time it's all over J will be in college. With the other "good stuff" happening though I am just counting my blessings and continuing to "let go and let God". It's gotten us this far right?
Oh and just to prove how crazy Allen and I really are we decided to up the number of placements we will take from one to two.
Great idea huh?
***crickets***
No seriously we did increase our cap from one to two. Likely we will ONLY take respite care (for other foster parents) or children that are short term placements. I really enjoyed caring for Snuggles (although it was sad saying Goodbye) and I think we can do it. Obviously the timing will be critical.....has to be the right time, right kid, right situation. Don't worry, I seriously will NOT take any more than I think we can handle and I tend to be on the modest side when it comes to that too. Allen would take every child they called us with. That's not a joke either. I'd be the woman that lived in the shoe if I let him talk to placement....which I don't.
You could call me Octomom.
HOLY GUACAMOLE, we were BUSY.
We got slammed.
I LOVED IT.
That being said I realized how old I am on my drive home.
I was so sore from the top of my head to the tips of my toes....literally.
My arthritis was acting up.....I am surprised I didn't break a hip.
Just kidding about the hip....but I really do have arthritis already.
When it flares up I giggle to myself as I take my Osto-Bi-Flex and remember the commercial with all the old farts speed walking after taking theirs.
Yes I am a freak.
I had to take BOTH kids.
Yes both of them.
I need to brag on my babies...THEY WERE AMAZING.
Makily is ALWAYS a good girl, long as she has Spongebob she's set.
J on the other hand is a maniac when he gets bored.
I was so proud of him, he did not scream, yell, or throw tantrums (okay maybe one early on but he was bored). Once our tent got hopping he was in HEAVEN. He loved all the commotion and people. He was content hanging out by my sister Elizabeth watching her blow up and give out balloons. He REALLY loves other kids. He squeals and reaches out to them. He tried to take some lady's purse. I apologized and told her he was a pick pocket already. She didn't think it was as funny as I did though?
He LOOOOVED Matt Manatee and actually snuggled with him. This surprised me since he FREAKED out for Santa. A guy came up with a news camera (I think that's what it was) and taped J snuggling with Matt. I won't tell you who was in the Matt Manatee suit but I will give you initials....first name is Trish....last name is Two....maybe he knew his Auntie Trish was in there and that's why he snuggled? She is on camera in the suit.....SOOOO HILARIOUS! I didn't dare get in the suit, it's hard to walk in and you can't see well either. I fall just walking. Can you imagine me in a huge Manatee suit rolling on the ground trying to get up?...not cute.....not cute at all!
Makily got super hot but handled it well. I kept dousing her down with cold water (in her hair), then I would sit at the front of the tent with her. It was actually cooler out there then in our tent. Explain that? Anyway they had a "blow up dancing air puppet" near our tent and she laughed and LOVED watching that.
We had balloons we were giving out and we tied a couple to the double stroller and Makily loved playing with them. A couple of mom's came up that are from Ocalamom and wanted to meet Makily. Gave me warm fuzzies. One little girl and her mom met us up at Light Up Ocala. Suzanne and Katie. Katie wanted to see Makily again and she took pics with her. My baby is so famous. She's touched so many people. I am so damn proud of her I can't stand it.
We had wooden maracas that the kids could paint or color with markers.
Just FYI, if you want a maraca to dry fast...use markers...not paint. The kids loved it either way though, great idea Trishtwo....you rock. We gave out 1,000 of them....yes ONE THOUSAND maracas. That and a ton of balloons and other promotional stuff. My sister Elizabeth has a blister on her finger from tying balloons. She was a huge help. Chontee came by and brought Bri and Cole. She helped with the balloons again (she was a huge help at Light Up too). We really had a rhythm going didn't we guys?
I had two "moments".
I need to think of a name for moments like these. I always get this feeling that I can't describe when things like this happen.
First one was a little boy that came up and pointed to the helium tank. We had someone out front giving out the already blown up balloons and we told him to go up there. He looked confused. I told him again and then he started to walk away....still looking confused....IT HIT ME, he couldn't hear me. I looked at Elizabeth and said "blow him up a balloon, he can't hear me". I tapped him on the shoulder and held up one finger and said "just a sec". His brother said "he can't hear you" I told him I had just figured that out and I was getting him a balloon.
Is it totally lame that I just wanted to hug that boy like crazy?
Don't worry I resisted the urge and just gave him a balloon instead.
Later on I was going for a Port-A-Potty break (EL PUKO....that was typed in Spanish for Michelle LOL). I got right to the entrance of our tent and saw a mother knelt on the ground next to a boy that was about seven or eight. He was in the fetal position on a quilt crying. I asked her if I could help, did he fall? I felt like a moron as soon as I asked if he fell because he was obviously laying on a quilt. She said "he has autism, his sister wants to stay but this is really overwhelming for him". I asked her if there was anything I could do to try and make things easier for her....a drink........anything. She said water. I got a bottle of water out of our stashed cooler and gave it to her. I helped her move him to the side of the tent and then told her to get me if I could do anything else....to take her time. I didn't want to hover over her, I am sure she felt all the eyes passing by watching her.
I found myself also wanting to hug the crap out of this mother and her son. She felt torn I am sure, her son was unable to deal with all the excitement and her daughter wanted to stay for the fun. What to do? Eventually I saw they were gone so I am hoping he was able to get himself back together and enjoy the day.
I have to laugh at the irony of me RUNNING to disabled kids. I swear before Makily I would have been running the other way like my hair was on fire. Okay not blatantly running but I had no idea how to act around differently abled people and felt horribly awkward. I wouldn't have wanted to hurt their feelings so I just avoided. Now I find myself wanting to hug all of them, get to know them, their parents, hear their story, let them meet Makily etc etc.
I am so changed.
It's a good change I think ;-)
**************************************************************
Some VERY good, VERY promising things happening with J's case. I can't give details but for now things look good. I am cautiously optimistic. VERY CAUTIOUSLY. I know how quickly things can change. I do not think that this case is going to end any time soon though. Obviously I wish that it would but I am being realistic. I have been joking that by the time it's all over J will be in college. With the other "good stuff" happening though I am just counting my blessings and continuing to "let go and let God". It's gotten us this far right?
Oh and just to prove how crazy Allen and I really are we decided to up the number of placements we will take from one to two.
Great idea huh?
***crickets***
No seriously we did increase our cap from one to two. Likely we will ONLY take respite care (for other foster parents) or children that are short term placements. I really enjoyed caring for Snuggles (although it was sad saying Goodbye) and I think we can do it. Obviously the timing will be critical.....has to be the right time, right kid, right situation. Don't worry, I seriously will NOT take any more than I think we can handle and I tend to be on the modest side when it comes to that too. Allen would take every child they called us with. That's not a joke either. I'd be the woman that lived in the shoe if I let him talk to placement....which I don't.
You could call me Octomom.
Just pretend the above cartoon is Allen on the phone with our agency saying yes to a sibling group of eight.
We are staying in our 0-2 age range. I just don't think we are ready for older kids, and I don't think we really ever will be though.
I have learned not to say "never" though so I won't say that.
We are staying in our 0-2 age range. I just don't think we are ready for older kids, and I don't think we really ever will be though.
I have learned not to say "never" though so I won't say that.
6 comments:
Oooooooooooooooooooooooh, I so hear you about wanting to connect with other moms, it's ridiculous sometimes LOL
About upping the capacity, hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I am laughing hihi. that's what we did and now we have 5 and still foster as well.........
Just saying...................LOL
I was totally confused when you were talking about the potty break- but when you broke it down to spanish with "EL PUKO" I finally understood.
I actually laughed out loud.
i know what you mean about kids with disabilities. I totally feel the same way. I think that if I ever met another child with PKU I might cry. My situation is so unique because it seems to be the only case of late treated PKU in the united states, since birth screening is mandatory.
Imagine my mind, as sometimes I let it race with the "what if's" (what if I would have just hopped over to texas to give birth instead of Mexico, etc.)
But in the words of ASLAN in PRINCE CASPIEN- "we will never know what would have happened" so just leave it alone, michis
Sounds like you had a great weekend!
I'm so glad to hear that things are looking good in J's case! Good for you for straying from your comfort zone to try your hand at a second foster placement. I know respite & emergency are always needed resources around here.
I am the same way with kids with special needs so I totally get it. I am not a mom to a special needs child but I have worked with kids with all types of disabilities for years. So many of them have stolen my heart.
I hope things work out for you with J and he gets to stay with you forever!
There's something about connecting with another special needs mom. Even if the situation isn't the same, a lot of the emotions and struggles are similar.
I'm grateful to have found the therapeutic horse riding and VIP soccer league for Emily. It's really nice to talk with other parents and their kids too!
You are changed girl. And it's so good. I once followed a mom with a child in a wheelchair around the grocery store one time. I had to talk to her. So excited about the good things about J. Yes, your kids are great. Don't you love it when your kiddo's are so good? I felt the same way just the other day.
Love you,
A
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