The One with the catch-all

Dear bloggy friends,

I have been neglecting you something awful.  Do I have excuses? Sure tons!! But like I tell my kids, excuses don't make things better. Just say you're sorry.  And so - I'm sorry.

I'm trying to figure out some sort of schedule so I will have a certain topic to post every day (or at least several days a week).  Not that I'm so conceited to think you guys actually read here often, but I started this blog as a way to remember all the ups and downs, the little things that pass by so quickly and then the kids are grown and away.  If anyone has any ideas - feel free to shout them out!

For now, a major catch up :

Let's just go down the list -

Drama Queen- is back in school and still living with her cousin.  Next semester she'll either be moving back home and commuting or more likely getting her own place. She enjoys her freedom but also seems to get a little homesick from time to time.She comes home probably twice a week on average. :) It's hard basically living alone when you come from a large family. Just the general chaos is soothing sometimes!  But all in all, she's good! Classes are going well and she's happy!

Attitude King - is a senior in high school this year. We are slowly bypassing the teenage boy stage where the only communication consists of grunts and eye rolls. He actually comes home from school and tells us what he did that day.  PROGRESS!  He's starting to get excited about college and we have 2 college visits planned this month!  Ahhh!!  Just when you finally start getting the kid back and he's ready to move away! lol! 

Southern Darlin -  is a 6th grader this year!  In our school system, our elementary goes until 6th grade, then you go to the middle school for 7-8 and the huge high school after that.  So this is the last year that she gets to stay in the same school with all her younger siblings. In fact, it's the LAST year that all four will be in the same school ever again! Ahhh ! So anyway, things are starting to get a little tougher for Southern Darlin.. She has switched from having math in a small group setting back to the regular classroom - which means homework every.single.night.  Ohh the horrors!  She is finally starting to learn the ins and outs of friendship and a bully (who she swore was a friend but was really a controlling brat) finally moved away leaving her with the ability to actually make more friends who are actually nice to her! Yay!  In her eyes, the most exciting thing so far about 6th grade is that they get to use iPads! lol!  They are supposed to eventually be able to bring them home, but honestly to me- that's just too much responsibility and I don't think she needs the extra screen time anyway. I mean this is the kid who loses her jacket on a weekly basis and breaks a water bottle (how?!) monthly.  Yeah, no.  So she's not thrilled that I told her the iPads were for school use only. lol.  Oops, mean mom strikes again!   She's a tad bit worried about 7th grade already. I keep telling her it's an entire year away!! Worry later!  But big worries - #1. She will have to ride the bus (I currently drive the group to school but middle school starts way earlier and it's just not going to happen) #2. No recess!!   So far those are the main worries. lol.

Spoiled Princess - is now in 5th grade! I still remember her first day of kindergarten; I don't know how they grow up so darn fast! She is my straight A student with tons of friends and no school worries. I worry a little that she's going to become too popular and become the mean girl but I've been firmly nipping any signs of that in the bud! lol!  She got the brand new teacher at school this year but is totally in love with her :)  Lots of new friends.  Life is good for her :)   All of the kids have been in swim lessons all summer but Spoiled Princess floats about like a cement brick! lol This kid struggles so hard to get this figured out. lol.  DH says it's because she doesn't have much fat, just all muscle and us fatties just float easier. lol But of the 4 she certainly tries the hardest!!

Fishing Pole - is now in 4th grade. He's creeping up there! He's struggling bit with paying attention and behaving but overall is having a good year. His grades are decent, of course he gets a C on his midterm and is immediately worried that they will hold him back!  lol.  Southern Darlin' had an F and could care less. lol.  I explained to him that he needed to always do his best but a C would not have them hold him back and again it's way too early to even be worrying about stuff like that! lol!  Other than that, the boy has been a medical stress point for me.  We saw genetics for both little boys over the summer. Genetics feels that they both possibly have ARND (alcohol related neurodevelopmental deficient) but also with all of Fishing Pole's many different medical issues they want to do chromosomal testing.  So now we wait months and months to get insurance approval to get the testing done.  If anything comes back ++ on him, then we'll check Dimples too.  Next came a routine EKG to check things after we finally convinced the psych dr to put him on a stimulant to help his ADHD instead of the crap stuff he had him on that did nothing.  Of course the EKG came back wonky and we had to stop the meds :(  wait a while do another EKG - which came back fine - and restart meds.  So now we wait for enough time to pass and do yet another EKG.  Fun times I tell ya!   Oh but that's not all, then the boy has been having severe leg pains and weakness. Dr appt = bloodwork = neg. for any arthritis type factors so now we sit and wait for a PT eval..  I'm honestly wondering if it's just not another sign of his Dystautonomia coming through?    Life is always busy and crazy with this kid!

Dimples - is now in 2nd grade! He's finally gained a little weight and grown so he doesn't look like quite the munchkin in the class. lol.  This year his IEP is finally in place. He doesn't have a 1on1 para but another student in the classroom does and they share.  This year has been hard for him. He's having a lot of anxiety and is more restlessness/distractability.  It's that fine line - the para who has known him for a few years is thrilled that they finally can see some of his personality coming thru which we definitely don't want to squash by raising meds too high, but he's also a distraction in class and having a hard time focusing. Some days it's great and he gets all his work done with no extra help, other days he gets nothing done.  This year he has also become more socially aware - in that he says no one is his friend and/or plays with him.  Yet he also hasn't really figured out how to play with others well.  It's heartbreaking to hear several times a day that he has no friends but I'm at a loss on how to help right now.  We've tried steering him towards the girls (who love him) because girls are more nurturing and forgiving than boys.  Let's be honest, boys at this age can be little brats. lol.  Medical wise, he is doing well.  We have a sleep study coming up b/c the boy is having issues sleeping. His sleep meds used to help but don't seem to be working quite as well any longer.   He also has some weird puking spells (middle of the night) and is fine the next day, along with random low grade temperatures that are driving me insane.  I need to start making a chart so I can see if I can find a pattern. Lol.  


Daddy Chaos & I  are doing well. We've been working on remodeling the dining room.  New paint *gasp* which has brightened the house significantly! My entire house was basically one color when we bought it and I finally got sick of it. lol.  New flooring is in the dining room, we plan on putting it into the living room as well once DH recovers from the dining room installation! lol!   I'm still doing final touches - I need to find new drapes and an area rug but then I'll post a picture! :)   I would LOVE to redo the kitchen but that project is just above and beyond my ambitions for quite some time. lol!  I know our limits :)    


In other news, my niece moved in with us in June right after my great nephew was born. O.M.G. we are all so in love with the newest member to the family!  Baby fest in the house every day!  Sadly, she just moved out a week ago so we went from playing with the baby daily to not seeing him but maybe once a week. It's an adjustment for us all! lol   He'll be 4months old this week, just another example of how quickly time flies by!  Baby D is the cutest, squishiest little boy you've ever met!  I'm not the slightest bit biased :) LOL

If you don't read the review blog and need some  (or know someone that needs some) proofreading, head over here and check me out!  I'm branching out and hoping to add a few more clients to my list! *Note- don't ever look at my writing and judge from there! lol. I'm actually a pretty good proofreader (shameless plug) but I never proofread my blog writing because otherwise I'd never publish anything! LOL! :)

Take care all!