Drama King?

Having a three year old girl I know the meaning of “drama queen”.  She often takes things way out of proportion.  For example, right now she is throwing a HUGE fit…I’m not sure “fit” is the appropriate term.  It is more like a sporadic crying.  She is crying loud and laying on the floor…then she’s quiet…then she’s at it again!  I keep asking her what’s wrong.  Does anything hurt?  Are you making a dirty diaper (sometimes that’s the issue)?  Then more specific…does your hand hurt?  Your nose?  Your feet?  Still all I get is a dramatic cry! 

I say that…and now she’s quiet again…..take that back…now she’s crying! 

Anyway..the point I’m trying to make is that I’m used to a little drama from my little girl.  Although I’m not used to it from my little man.  Luke is usually upset when there’s a reason, like he fell down…or he wants more juice or food.  It’s pretty basic.  With our little girl…who knows!

Back to Luke…he decided to show his “drama king” status on our trip out to Baltimore to Johns Hopkins to see a new doctor.  It was a 14 hour trip, so we split it up into two days.  Even then we are usually “hard pressed” to get to our destination in a 7 hour trip and still have “decent” kids.  If you’ve been reading this blog a while, you know that Luke is not the best traveler.  He won’t sleep in the car and because he can’t feed himself…it makes it a challenge to try and feed him on the road.

All that said, Luke did really good on this trip…until the very last day.  He made it the two days out East, the day in Baltimore and the first day back.  But by the second and last day of travel home Luke had reached is “quota” of “nice guy”.  He was ready to be home!  (Much like his daddy)

We actually did ok, a little grumpy, but not too bad…until we were about 2 hours out.  He started a dramatic melt down…by an hour out it was a true “drama”.  My husband and I couldn’t help but laugh even though his cries were almost constant.

There was a cooler between the kids car seats, and throughout the trip the kids would push the handle back and forth and play with it.  When Luke started his “drama” he was playing with this cooler handle all on his own. 

Luke would reach over, grab the handle, and push the handle as far away as possible.  Then he would pull the handle back toward him…followed soon by him inserting his arm through the handle and pull back.  The result was Luke’s wrist stuck between he cooler and the underside part of the handle.  He would cry out at this point…and continue to cry until I “rescued” him from the “evil” cooler.  Once he was freed he stopped crying…then proceeded to do it all over again.  It was a constant “drama” the rest of the way home! 

I caught a great video on the iPad…only it is upside down and I can’t figure out how to change that!  So I’m going to share a great pic I also took of this “drama”.  The picture tells it all.

"Scoot Scoot Boogie"

Luke continues to show a little more independence.  Seems like every time I get used to the way Luke does things…he decides to switch it up on me.  “No mom…let’s do it this way this time!”

Luke’s latest “escapade” has left me singing “Scoot Scoot boogie”…I’m not even sure that’s the name of the country song. But, it’s the only part of it that sticks out in my mind…I can’t remember any more of the lyrics…I can even hear the “Scoot Scoot BOOOGGGIIIEEE”  all drawn out in the finest “country draw”.  Feel free to give me a hard time about this.  Anyone who knows me, knows that it is just like me not to know the whole thing or even who sings it!

Anyway…back to what Luke was up to….I’ve shared how Luke has taken off on the stairs and gotten all the way to the top by himself, seems he wants to be even more independent!  About a month ago our daughter decided she didn’t want to walk down the stairs…but scoot down them instead.  Not one to be “outdone” …Luke immediately let go one hand from the stair railing (up to this point we had been descending the stairs sideways using both hands on the rail), and squatted till he sat.  Mom took the “hint” and started to help him scoot down the stairs.  He continued getting better at this “skill”.

Then just the other day, I decided to go to the bottom of the stairs and just encourage him down.  Sure enough, he went the whole way!  Sometimes it’s hard not to do “too much” for our little man….but I stepped back …and look what happened!  Luke can do one more thing on his own!  Way to “Scoot Scoot Boogie” my man!

Where Oh Where?

Ok, so we have these easy shoes for our daughter to put on…pink Crocks.  They've been so great because she can simply put them on and take them off on her own.  So while I wrestle with Luke and his shoes, as he is throwing them across the room…while I am trying to put them on his feet, our daughter can simply sit by us and put on her shoes!

Yesterday, even though it was a little chilly out, I told our daughter to go find her “pink shoes”…they aren't the only shoes she has that have pink…but that’s what we call them.  Anyway…I tell her to go get them on and she keeps saying “where mommy where…where pink shoes mommy?”  I kept telling her places to look…all while wrestling with Luke to put his shoes, braces and shoes on.  When we were done, I joined the search…and the pink shoes were nowhere to be seen.  Although I knew I saw them very recently…I just couldn't remember where.

Out of time, I finally grabbed our daughter’s tennis shoes and made her put those on instead…even though they aren't her favorite “pink shoes”.

We went through our day with the usual routine…and never found the “pink shoes”. 

Then, last night I got home real late (around 11pm) and was putting away some groceries.  I pulled out the shelf in the pantry to put canned goods on…and low and behold there were the “pink shoes”!!!  “Someone” decided to put them away on the shelf with the food….very nicely I might add.

Oh…it was so funny to see them just sitting there..lined up and so “innocent”.  That silly Luke has been playing with the pantry a lot lately…I should of known...he would hide something in there.  After all that’s his favorite thing to do…next to opening and shutting doors.

Little Conductor

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that Luke LOVES music.  It was the only thing to calm him when he was little and the songs that ALWAYS worked were written by Randy Travis.  Everyone laughs at that…but it is so true.  We've had vacations where we forgot the Randy Travis CD and had to go to the nearest Wal-mart and hunt the music section for Randy Travis. 

This past Friday there was a concert at Illinois State University for kids with Special Needs.  It was wonderful.  It was well thought out, from assigning each child a “concert buddy” to providing special shakers that attach to the fingers. 

Before the concert started they had various students with their instruments for the kids to come to and “explore”.  Luke really liked the trumpet and helped make a note or two.  He wasn't really sure about the guitar, but sister sure liked it.  She got to strum it with a pick.

Then the concert started, at first Luke just sat and stared at the band and lifted his eyebrows at each high note or when the band got especially loud.  When we tried the shaker with him that attaches to the fingers, he found a way to take it off and throw it….of course.  It was wonderful though seeing the music through his eyes that night.By the last few songs Luke was refusing to sit and standing while holding on to the chair in front he would point and move a hand towards the band.  Then I grabbed his hips and he started swinging around both hands, like he was conducting the band. If you'd like to see him "conduct" check out the video below the pics.

Follow the leader?

I’m not sure what most siblings do when they play together.  I know some chase each other around and that most siblings fight over toys.  Well Luke and our daughter definitely fight over toys and sometimes they chase each other.  Although the “chasing” is more like our daughter running in circles with Luke crawling in one direction…like he is trying to catch up….then when he is “lapped” he decides to just sit still and laugh at his sister when she continues running in circles. 

The other day I saw a unique “game” they were playing.  I’m not even sure it was a “game”….but was funny to watch.  I was in the kitchen and our daughter was saying “come on brober” and they were both laughing.  So I look and what do I see?  Our daughter has a hold of Luke’s shirt and Luke is crawling beside her.  Our daughter was pull/dragging Luke around…reminded me of someone walking a great big dog or something. 

I’m not sure if she was trying to play some kind of “follow the leader” or what.  The kids have sure been creative in their playing lately.  (7-27-12)

Even more miracles

God continues to amaze me through Luke.  As I’ve mentioned in the past, every “small” milestone for “average” kids….is a HUGE milestone for a child like Luke.  Each time he meets one of those milestone markers I am reminded how blessed we are to have a special child like Luke, who continues to get stronger and meet those milestones.  It may take him longer…but he is meeting them!

Some may think this the things I’m about to mention are not miracles…but anyone who has gone through the process of a special needs child or even someone who has had something happen like a stroke and had to re-learn all these “skills”…those of you out there…you know how BIG a miracle this is…especially when you work at it for so long and finally one day..it just “clicks”.

Two weeks ago, I got the kids downstairs and started our morning routine…getting medicines together first.  Well when I was ready to feed the kids breakfast I called for the kids and our two year old daughter says “oh no…mommy…brober..upstairs!!” 

I thought…surely not.  I was proved wrong!  I went to the staircase and sure enough…there was Luke waving at me from the top of the stairs!  When did he start doing that on his own?!  He has been able to crawl up stairs for a couple years…but usually only when coaxed and NEVER alone!!

I thought that was a miracle…then today happened and I was reminded again how God is working in our little guy.  I picked him up from school and his aide apologized for his messy shirt…which had some Blueberry Yogart on it.  Then she told me that he ate the yogart ALL on his OWN!!  I was so happy to hear this.  We’ve been trying to get him to this point for SOOO long!  Luke typically throws his spoon or fork…or plate with food…he has NEVER held onto a utensil long enough to eat an entire food item…like yogart or applesauce. 

To test out this new “skill”, I got out some pear applesauce for supper and gave Luke a spoon.  I had to hold the applesauce cup…but everything else was all Luke!  It brought tears to my eyes!!  Luke has made another step towards independence.  It may have taken him 4 ½ years instead of 1 ½ like our daughter….but he has done it!  I pray this skill will continue to develop and in the near future Luke will be able to feed himself an entire meal!!

Sun?

You think you know your kids, but they are always changing.  With Luke, its hard to even know about those changes since he can’t tell me…”mom, I don’t like green beans”…instead we get them thrown at us..or on the floor (even better).  This idea carries over into every aspect of Luke.  I’m learning his “preferences” because of his responses, i.e. when getting home from school he screams at me and hits his shoes…until they are finally off (including socks) and then he is “off” down the hall and perfectly happy.

Well, Luke started to do something at the old house a couple weeks before we moved.  I’m not sure if he was trying to tell me something or if he was just being a silly little guy…like usual.  In Luke’s old room there wasn’t a lot of space, which meant that the options for where to place his bed were only 1.  So his bed was against the far wall , the bad part was that he could reach the window curtains.  So he would often look outside and see what was going on or stay up and play with them.

A few weeks before selling the house, I found a new site for several mornings in a row.  I would walk in to Luke’s room to get him up in the morning and I would find the window curtains pulled all the way back and Luke would be in his bed with a blanket over his head.  It was so funny! 

I’m guessing that Luke would play with the curtains for a while at night causing them to be pulled back…but when morning came and the sun decided to peek in…Luke would cover his head so he could keep sleeping.  Silly guy wanted to see outside at night…but not in the morning I guess!