Around 11 we made it out the door and to Best Buy. Michael got his phone this morning (he bought the 8gig that dropped down to 100$ – more on that later) and is in heaven. He’ll be fiddling with it all night I’m sure He opted to get the “old” one instead of the new one as I told him if he did, he could spend the rest of what he saved on a tattoo book he wants to update. The author has a deal that he’ll send a check back if you return the old version to him, kind of a rebate for having purchased the original version. Yep, I bribed my man.

Then we dropped him off at work and went to therapy. Then on the way out the kids were horsing around and Dorian slammed Malachai’s arm (around the elbow) in the sliding door of the van. Poor kid. I spent five minutes trying to pop an instant cold pack which wouldn’t pack, so I spent ten minutes driving home with a wailing child. Called ahead and had an ice pack waiting on us. He seems OK now – gave him some ibuprofen for the swelling and he flipped through the new bento book that came. He’s on the computer now. Guess he’s all right Dorian felt awful.

I have to go make dinner. I have garlic-ginger lo mein on the menu (it was a hit last week) but I didn’t defrost the chicken and I have two pot roasts that need to be made in the fridge. I think I waited too long though (which I did yesterday too) as they should have gone in the crock this morning. I forgot I wouldn’t be home at 1 to put it in. Tomorrow maybe… that leaves something for tonight though.

Tattooed a little yesterday. I like shading with the rotary better than the coil machine. Eshiva has the skully I did on her arm – silly girl. I love that the stencils make her so happy.

Michael mentioned yesterday that Malachai is finally developing a personality of his own. He brought up how it was sort of blunted before, you could interact with him, but there wasn’t anything about it that screamed, this is me, I am Malachai.

He loves Alice Cooper. He wants to dress up like him for Halloween. He loves scary movies and fast rides. I kind of attribute part of that to his sensory issues (if he needs BIG input physically it makes sense he’d love roller coasters and stuff, and if he needs it physically, why wouldn’t he need BIG input mentally too? So scary stuff = more input to his brain) but it’s giving him and Michael something way cool to bond over.

He said something yesterday and I can’t remember what it was (Michael told me I should have posted then and there lol Silly me for not doing it) but it was what brought on this conversation. He might be coming up on seven, but he is finally turning into… himself. It is giving me great joy to see it happen. Dorian had his own personality around 3 or 4, and Eshiva is loaded with personality, but Mal… he was just kind of rolling along. Now he pops up with little quips and stories and is fierce about what he likes and doesn’t like and what he does and doesn’t want to do and why (as opposed to being engrossed in one thing and woe be unto you if you tried to do something else).

It’s not all sunshine and roses, but this is just amazing to me.

This is from my friend Sam, and her story just breaks my heart. She has had one thing after another in her family, and it hits just too close to home to not effect me. I am not going to share her back story, it’s not mine to share. Suffice to say, she is just an amazing woman and I have a lot of respect for her and her entire family.

Walk for Savannah!, okay, its really a walk for arthritis, but we’re egotistical
Cut & pasted from the lame-o email I just sent out…….

It’s that time of year again!

As you know, having arthritis has greatly affected Savannah’s life. This is a way for her to take some control of her disease and have some fun in the process.

The walk is being held at Battery Park on Sunday, April 25th at 10am.

We had a fantastic walk last year and I’d like to see even more of you participate this year. It means SO much to Savannah. It’s a great outing for a great cause in a beautiful place. If you’ve walked with us before, you know how much fun we have. If you haven’t…well it’s time you did! Please do your very best to join us…and bring your friends, co-workers and neighbors. The more the merrier! Hope to see you there.
Here’s her team page:

http://batterypark.kintera.org/2009/teamsavannah

If you can’t come please consider making a donation smile.gif And please feel free to forward her Team Page to your friends. We can use all the help we can get!
Thank you
-Sam

A Seasonal Pass entitles you to admission** to Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park Except the following dates:
* March 15 – March 28, 2008
* June 7, 2008 – August 14, 2008
* December 21, 2008 – January 3, 2009

* April 4 – April 17, 2009
* June 6, 2009 – August 13, 2009
* December 19, 2009 – January 1, 2010
**Except for activities/events separately priced.

You also get:
* The exclusive “Mickey Monitor” Passholder newsletter
* Special offers on Walt Disney World® dining, merchandise, backstage tours, and much more!

When you order the Seasonal Pass, you will receive an exchange certificate in the mail. Redeem the exchange certificate for a Seasonal Pass at any Walt Disney World® Theme Park ticket window by presenting the exchange certificate and valid photo ID. The Seasonal Pass is valid for 365 days from exchange certificate redemption.

Proof of Florida residency is required — you must provide any one of the following:
* Florida driver’s license
* Florida state-issued ID card (must have Florida address)
* Florida voter’s registration card with corresponding picture ID
* A college ID for a Florida college
* Florida- based military ID

Passes are non-transferable, are only valid during regularly scheduled operating hours and exclude activities / events priced separately. No additional discounts apply.

http://tickets.disney.go.com/buy/TicketTrans#subcat2

(you can put in 32181 as a zip code – that’s mine!)

Just spreading a little fantabulous news, Malachai had his therapy evals last week, and he is done with PT! This is amazing, because not six months ago he would fall over standing still. No joke. Now he can balance on one leg so long he can’t count that high (ok, maybe he can, but it’s a long time!)  He is still in speech and occupational therapies, but those are improving too. They will re-evaluate him in another six months. Maybe in the next six months he will learn how to sit in, and stay in, a chair

Not only is therapy going well, but he only missed one word on his spelling test today (out of ten words) and he has been helping me read Coraline at night. His speech therapist suggested I talk to the school and see what kind of literature we can tie into his daily work to keep him interested. He reads like crazy for her, not so much for me. Apparently, I just hadn’t picked the right books. We’re reading The Tale of Despereaux next (Dorian’s choice). I think I will be moving a bunch of books down the shelf for Eshiva, and finding some more appropriate books for Mal & Dor.

Speaking of Dorian, he is doing basketball after school once a week and he loves it. I think we’ll continue to do it once it’s up. It runs in five week sessions and he started last week. I looked into the local rec center for something for both the boys to do, as our PT suggested Mal do some type of sport. I don’t know what, but we’ll find something. I think they are looking into karate (ok, I am pushing karate) but I am not going to push it if he’s really not into it. We were also thinking bowling, but the PT specificaly said sports that work the entire body. We need to increase (and maintain) his muscle tone, as it’s significantly “below age level.” Eshiva is going to be taking a dance class once a week in the mornings, and she is uber-excited about that. She wont stop talking about it, in fact.

Shivie is a little chatterbox, and thinks she’s a princess. She recently discovered dinosaurs (and I wish we lived closer to DC, because there are no decent dino exhibits around here that I can find) and barbie. She turns four on Feb 10th and woe be unto you if you try and tell her she’s three.

Everyone else is well. Dad and Michael and still employed (yay!) and I am still getting enough work to buy fun stuff by freelancing (also yay!). Michael and Sara are looking into the SAT and making plans and doing all that fun 17 year old stuff.

Ah… I think that wraps us up! I’m sure there is more, but it’s daily stuff. I was just so excited about Malachai! He is still having troubles, but there is a light.

and I posted this to PM’s yesterday:

Michael was given written notification today that the therapy place we go is closing on Friday.

Fucking economy.

They are going to try to farm everyone out to other locations, and we may be able to keep our OT if the other place she works can fit him in (and if they take our ins and if it’s in a reasonable drive). Our ST was an intern.

What really stinks is I really, really like our ST, and WTF giving us one weeks notice?

I know we can find someplace else (hell, maybe the place a few blocks down the street takes our ins and offers what we need) but this still stinks.

and I posted this today as a follow-up:

Yay!!! Our rockin speech gal called me up this morning and told me that she interviewed this morning at a place that is even closer and they are working their hardest to absorb all of the speech therapists AND their clients AND keep the same schedule!

She gave me the number of the new place, and I left a message around 10AM. She phoned me back around 5:30, apologized for it taking so long to get back to me, and told me what was going on. They do take our insurance, and are working to have the approvals transferred to them from our current place. She is hoping to start Monday!

We see Courtney tomorrow and Thursday and I am just thrilled it sounds like we won’t have a lapse, at least here.

I still need to find out where the place our OT works is located (she was split between the two places I guess), if they take our ins, and if we can fit in over there. I really like our OT as well – not like I like our ST, but she is awesome with Malachai. I’d hang out with our ST, not so much with our OT.

But wait, there’s more! We’re adopting a new puppy!

So, we’ve been thinking about getting a companion for Malachai for a while now. Therapy dogs are quite expensive, and the “free” ones take a lot of paperwork and legwork. No doubt they don’t deserve it, but it was more than we needed. It’s not like we were looking for a seeing eye dog or anything, you know? So, we found this little guy! We’re picking him up either Thursday or Sunday.

He’s been there for a year! I can’t imagine why someone didn’t want to take him home, but I am glad they didn’t! We drove down to Ft. Lauderdale on Monday and went back to meet him. He is so friendly, and energetic and playful. He jumped up on Eshiva, but did not knock her down. The gal who showed him to us said he gets along with all the other dogs/cats in the rescue, have never bitten anyone, and is healthy. Apparently he was purchased from a pet store, and then got sick. He had demodectic mange (yes, just like our Yorkie) but his fur is full and thick and I didn’t feel any scabs or anything on his body. They said nothing about meds or anything else, and he is neutered. This is good, because Sasha is so sick, putting her through surgery to spay her would be too taxing on her immune system (so says the vet).

He is a year and a half old, and is the perfect size. Yay!

From the rescue site:
More About Patches/Atos: Patches was purchased from a puppy store. He is a sweet fellow who is good with other animals including cats. He is waiting for a forever home with lots of playmates or toys. Walks in the park or just around the block. Nice yard to play in but not totally necessary. Patches loves his toys!

Oh, he’s a beagle/basset mix. Cuteness!

Anything else? Probably not. I am sticking with good news right now.

CrazyLittleFingers

CrazyLittleFingers is a keyboard locking application. Unlike some of the previous keyboard lockers we’ve covered, CrazyLittleFingers corresponds the keystroke to a picture and sound related to the key.

Press L and you see a picture of a lion. Press R and you see a movie of a rooster. Keys that have no symbolic link for children like the page up and page down keys produce rising and falling guitar sounds. Numbers show the number on the screen. The only caveat is that it doesn’t lock the mouse. This is fine on a single monitor setup, because you can’t click through the images or access the start menu so clicking wouldn’t accomplish anything. On a multiple monitor setup however it only locks the primary screen, the mouse is still effective on the other screens. It would be nice if the program did a simple poll to see if other monitors were active and darkened/disabled them. Still if your toddler isn’t a proficient mouse user it should work fine. CrazyLittleFingers is freeware, Windows Only. Photo by John A. Ward.

AGE OF AUTISM: MMR: It’s ALL or NOTHING! Say goodbye to choice..

Your choice to work with your pediatrician on safer vaccine schedule has just received a very large blow.  Merck and Co. has decided to take away your option of separating the MMR, instead of getting the whole shebang at once.  Forget those who may be predisposed to not handling 3 viruses at once; you know the weak, the infant who may need a bit more time.  What if they are unable to take one of the viruses due to allergy of an ingredient, but have decided to go ahead with one or both of the others?  Well too bad, allergy or not you have lost your right to choose.  It’s now, all or nothing.

Merck has removed the option to split the MMR into it’s three components. Now you get all three at once, or none at all.

I’ve bitched and moaned about vaccines before. I don’t feel like doing it now. I just wonder, why remove a parents choice to get 2 out of 3 or 1 out of 3 in the belief they will at least do that? I mean, looking at it from a vaccinating parent point of view? I am not a vaccinating parent. I have an autistic child. I stand behind my decision with feet firmly planted in position.

What if I was the parent of a child with life threatening allergies? What if my child was alleric to product B but not A and C? I am fucked out of luck because I wont risk their life delivering A, B and C. Aren’t A and C better than nothing?

I just don’t understand. I am the last person to push vaccines, but I am the first to acknowledge the good they have done for us as a people in the past, why take away choices in the future?

Child Elopers’ Africa Plan Foiled : BBC News

Two German children – aged six and seven – have been stopped by police from eloping to Africa to tie the knot in the sun, reports say.

The budding lovebirds, identified as Mika and Anna-Lena, packed bathing costumes, sunglasses and a lilo and headed for the airport.

Sweet sweet story. Scary for the parents, but super sweet for the kids.

Salad – organic baby greens, red cabbage, broccoli, tomato, cheese, a whole avocado, grapes, homemade Italian.

Dinner – I made pot pie. I have a weakness for my own pot pie. However, I had a way smaller serving and I am almost regreting it – I can tell it’s just sitting there.

Tomorrow morning – banana-coconut-cacao smoothie!