Thank You

Thank you so much for the support you expressed. I really appreciate it! I know we need help around here, but everyone I know is either already busy with young children, or they work full time, or they're taking care of an elderly relative.

Things settled down just a bit. Don took Friday off so I could spend more time giving Anna Grace the acute care she needs. Last Wed. and Thurs. she was falling asleep in my arms, only to wake up as soon as I would put her down; she wasn't getting enough sleep. We both thought it would be beneficial for me to hold her for a couple days nonstop, ensuring that she got at least three good naps in each day and her stress level stayed low. She seems better. She didn't need any albuterol today at all.

Daniel just finished day 4 on his 5 mg Adderall medication. He seems about 30% calmer. He still displays a temper when told "no", but he recovers quicker and apologizes faster. The hyperactivity hasn't changed, and the lack of focus is only slightly better. We're hoping if we keep telling him that the medication is helping, a placebo effect will occur (he'll try harder to control himself), and we won't have to increase the dose to see better results. When he wrote the prescription, the doctor indicated this dose probably wouldn't be strong enough, but it's the standard starting point. Fortunately, there has been no change in Daniel's eating or sleeping habits. That is always a concern; ADHD meds can suppress appetite and inhibit sleep.

Daniel seems more loving. Last night I went in his room quite late at night to cover him and turn on his humidifier. He stirred and told me he loved me. He also said it a few times during the day. His love language is affirming words, so it isn't unusual for him to say he loves me. The frequency has just increased, to my delight.

Emily Rose got her stitches out today. They said we took good care of her wound and that the results should be good. I'm still on pins and needles about accidents with her, and now with the other three as well. Normal reaction on my part, I'm sure.

In an effort to keep Rosey a little less active, I dug out our old Dora videos. What a hit! Suddenly, she is noticing that Dora is on her sneakers and her sippy cups and on a few of our toys. Cute. She stands by the TV (too close) and answers all of Dora's questions. If Dora says "march in place, march in place", then Rosey dutifully marches in place. When Dora says "wiggle your hips, wiggle your hips", Rosey is delighted to oblige. It is too funny. I love to watch her respond and squeal in delight at Dora's antics.

While Emily's expressive language is still limited, I'm encouraged by her progress with words and with consonant sounds, and I'm more sure than ever that her receptive language is well above standard. A speech teacher is coming in a couple weeks to evaluate her.

Our children are all active. We don't buy or rent any full-length movies. They're a waste; our kids won't stay engaged for that long. A half-hour video or PBS show is about all they can manage. That doesn't make it easy on us - especially in winter. As soon as Anna Grace is better, I'll make a list of all the kids' activities we have and post it in the playroom. When they start getting too hyper, I can direct them to the list. It's too easy for them to forget what is available, and I get irritated at having to name the possibilities.

I'm praying about ways to keep the household calmer, despite the hyperactivity that seems to be inherent. Maybe our kids are normal. Hard to tell. It isn't just in wintertime that they're too active indoors. It's year round, but with a definite worsening in the winter. I wish I could be a fly on the walls of other busy households. Do you find yourself seeming to have to peel your kids off the walls around dinner-prep time, or is that just my problem? Do your boys want to wrestle whenever they're not engaged in an activity? If you turn on music, do your kids go berserk, jumping and racing around and singing at the top of their lungs? Don't get me wrong - I love it when kids are delighted. I love happy kids. I love my kids. I love all kids. Period. It's just that I could do with a few couch potatoes right about now.