Yesterday I had a visit with my 6 yr old, and it was very nice! He asked for chocolate chip ice cream, cherries, which he figured out he didn't like after chomping into a pit! He seemed so confused that cherries had pits! it was quite funny, I asked him if he'd ever eaten a cherry, and he said no. Of course he has had cherries before, but I usually pitted them before hand. He also asked for chicken tenders and sweet potato fries. Unfortunately I got the wrong sweet potato fries, they were overwhelmingly spicy and even I couldn't eat them. The ice cream was the Breyers waffle cone ice cream, which was amazing, I must say. Never had it before, but I almost didn't stop eating it. Bad news considering how much I currently weigh (which is as much as I did when I was pregnant with my oldest child. ACK!)
The visit with the girls this morning was really nice too, except that one had the runs, neither would eat their breakfast, but Z got on the potty and actually went! Oh, it was so thrilling, we were all excited (including the visit facilitator and their therapist), clapping, cheering, and she was just eating it up!
I got a cleaning contract today, which is fantastic. After doing up the budget, we realized that we don't make enough now that I'm paying off the last collection from the house-fire. Until September, we will be short $200/mo. Anyway, the new cleaning client is going to provide an extra 100 per month, so we are a little closer to our goal.
Today I have the final evaluation after my mental assessment. I am not looking forward to it, but it has to be done. I did a full work up, meaning comprehension, IQ, etc. It would be nice to figure out whether I've improved since the concussion 11 years ago. I guess they are really swinging the pendulum far the other way and think it's really important to have 'brain rest' for almost a year after a concussion, where you can't use electronic devices, read, strain your eyes, watch tv, and anything that might make you think too hard. Who knows, it could kill you to think. Interesting.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Small Update on the case & children
Yesterday we had a treatment team meeting. It was an interesting one!
CPS has an independent evaluator come in and determine if all services are being utilized and if the case is going in a fair direction. Everything seemed to be fine, but my mother complained about having so much on her plate with 'so many' children and 'so many appointments.' I understand her lamenting as I experienced the same concerns before. I inserted that I want to see the boys in sports, and I thought it would be a bad idea for them to go to the pool on free day, what with the 2 year olds need for supervision that my mother is incapable of providing.
My husband spent the entire meeting 'trying to keep my quiet' by complaining loudly and making an embarrassment of himself. He didn't want me to say anything incriminating, so he kept talking over me, interrupting me, and not letting me say anything. I asked how my boys were, and that was all he would allow. My mother played the victim like an expert violinist plays a Stradivarius. She almost cried when my husband brought up the letter she wrote (explaining in unbridled hatred how terrible a person I am) as an example of the negative attitudes held in her household that effect the children. I am not sure how she is the victim, but she sure acted the part. It just made it so clear how much it's all about her.
My boys are not doing well. The oldest is having a very hard time and won't see me. He is completely shut off emotionally and just shuts down whenever he has to confront anything. He goes from -0- to crying or hatefully furious in no time. He is doing well in school, my mom complained that they are behind in school and insinuated that it's my fault. I occasionally inserted historical evidence to defend my children, things such as 'we worked with him on math facts for 2 years, but he just didn't seem to get it. We switched strategies and started with calculus and geometry, with the intention of helping him understand why he needed the basics so we could make more strides in that department.' The younger is having problems with frustration as well. He doesn't know what's going on and is upset about it. He told my mother that my husband wrote a letter saying he loved him, which isn't allowed. That didn't happen, the visit coordinator corroborated. He then told me that my mom tells him that I lie about everything. My mother of course denies that but has no supporting witnesses except the case worker who just defends everything she says.
The girls are making great strides. My mother intimated that it's because they were removed from my home. The girls' speech therapist mentioned twice that the girls have reached a window of opportunity in their development consistent with their age, and they are impressed with their strides. An expert in the field would attribute their willingness and ability to learn to a good home before hand. If they were abused, as is suggested by my mom, they would not be able to learn like this.
Nothing major really happened, but we were told that we might be able to progress to level 2 by the next court date, which is June 8. Level 2 means that we get to have our visitation in the community instead of locked in the little room. I am nervous about that because it will cost money that we don't have, and it will be harder to keep them entertained if we only have 1.5 hours to eat and conduct activities for them.
CPS has an independent evaluator come in and determine if all services are being utilized and if the case is going in a fair direction. Everything seemed to be fine, but my mother complained about having so much on her plate with 'so many' children and 'so many appointments.' I understand her lamenting as I experienced the same concerns before. I inserted that I want to see the boys in sports, and I thought it would be a bad idea for them to go to the pool on free day, what with the 2 year olds need for supervision that my mother is incapable of providing.
My husband spent the entire meeting 'trying to keep my quiet' by complaining loudly and making an embarrassment of himself. He didn't want me to say anything incriminating, so he kept talking over me, interrupting me, and not letting me say anything. I asked how my boys were, and that was all he would allow. My mother played the victim like an expert violinist plays a Stradivarius. She almost cried when my husband brought up the letter she wrote (explaining in unbridled hatred how terrible a person I am) as an example of the negative attitudes held in her household that effect the children. I am not sure how she is the victim, but she sure acted the part. It just made it so clear how much it's all about her.
My boys are not doing well. The oldest is having a very hard time and won't see me. He is completely shut off emotionally and just shuts down whenever he has to confront anything. He goes from -0- to crying or hatefully furious in no time. He is doing well in school, my mom complained that they are behind in school and insinuated that it's my fault. I occasionally inserted historical evidence to defend my children, things such as 'we worked with him on math facts for 2 years, but he just didn't seem to get it. We switched strategies and started with calculus and geometry, with the intention of helping him understand why he needed the basics so we could make more strides in that department.' The younger is having problems with frustration as well. He doesn't know what's going on and is upset about it. He told my mother that my husband wrote a letter saying he loved him, which isn't allowed. That didn't happen, the visit coordinator corroborated. He then told me that my mom tells him that I lie about everything. My mother of course denies that but has no supporting witnesses except the case worker who just defends everything she says.
The girls are making great strides. My mother intimated that it's because they were removed from my home. The girls' speech therapist mentioned twice that the girls have reached a window of opportunity in their development consistent with their age, and they are impressed with their strides. An expert in the field would attribute their willingness and ability to learn to a good home before hand. If they were abused, as is suggested by my mom, they would not be able to learn like this.
Nothing major really happened, but we were told that we might be able to progress to level 2 by the next court date, which is June 8. Level 2 means that we get to have our visitation in the community instead of locked in the little room. I am nervous about that because it will cost money that we don't have, and it will be harder to keep them entertained if we only have 1.5 hours to eat and conduct activities for them.
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