Halloween!

I am very glad to say that Halloween is over. We had 5 parties and too much candy. It is a good think I took Jake off the diet or his candy would be cut in half. The kids had lots of fun, but are most excited this morning because their costumes have turned into dress ups. Needless to say Spiderman has been at our house since 6:30 this morning. I think he will be here all day. I hope it get old sooner than later.

Jake and Ana, Spiderman and Witchy

My little Lamb! She is so cute!

Jacob

I just thought I would give a Jacob update today. After weeks and weeks of horrible school expriences we are finally getting better. He has really struggled. Last week he had the worst day ever and then we had a break through. I was advised to put him on a new diet. We are now cutting out all gluten (wheat) and casein (milk). Jacob has never really eaten a lot dairy products, but I cannot believe how many things have it in it. Did you know the McDonald's coat their fries in milk. It's crazy. We have taken away milk completely and we are working on wheat. It is really hard, but I hope it works. I have stopped buying a lot of things with wheat in them and so Jacob was not eating breakfast for a few days. Jacob loves cold cereal, but he would not eat the GFCF kind. So he did not eat any breakfast for 3 days. That is when he had a horrible time in school. I found some fabulous GFCF waffles and he loves them. So we had a break through. It is going to take a while to get the wheat completely out of his diet, but he is doing well with the adjustment. We have told him that the doctor said he can't have anything with milk because he will get sick. When I first told him that, after he asked me for some ice cream and chocolate, he said, "Where is the doctor? I'm going to take him and kill him." It was funny. But now he just says I can't have milk because it will make me really sick. I am really proud of how well he is adjusting to the change. I just hope that it is worth it in the long run. We will have to wait and see because it could take 6 months before we see a difference. Cross your fingers with us.

Anabelle's Art

Lately Anabelle has really been into drawing. She loves to draw and does it all the time. I have purchased some drawing pads and she has already filled a few of them. She is very cute about her art and always draws us pictures. I love it. Her new thing is that she tries to write what is in the picture, but it is really just a bunch of random letter. Her are some of her drawings.

Vaccines

I just recently read about a friend who had failed to take her daughter to a well child visit for several months. When she finally went to the doctor she found that she was behind on her daughter's immunizations. And so, like most people, she was advised to catch up that day and gave her daughter 6 shots. I about died. As some may know I have chosen NOT to immunize my kids any more than they already are. This decision was made after much though, reading and a child diagnose with Autism. Although I do not believe that Jacob's autism is the result of a shot, I do feel that there is something wrong with the idea that every immunization is a one-size-fits-all.

One of the things that really irritates me the most is that when you take your infant to the doctor you are handed a packet of 20 pages on all of the shots they are about inject into you new baby and you are given no time to read them. I also wonder how many people really read these pages provided by the CDC. (I didn't until after I began to question the whole process.) Moments after receiving the papers with information they stick you child with, often times more than one, shot. Why do we allow this? As a young mother I was never really given the chance to understand why I might not want to give these shots to my child. I wish we could all be a little more educated on the matter before we make a conscious choice about the health of our children.

Another thing that really bugs me is that most of the people complaining about those of us who choose not to vaccinate are freaking out because are children are going to expose theirs to these diseases. I you believed in the vaccines you shouldn't be worried. My doctor is one of these crazy people and he lectures me every time I go in and refuse to immunize my kids. (No wonder my girls never go to the doctor, I am tried of hearing it.)

I guess I just wish we could be respected for the decisions that we make. I am not an uneducated idiot, I have thought a lot about this matter. I just choose not to buy into the whole thing for now. I am planning on having Anabelle tested for immunology when she is 5 and starting back up then. I will do the same when Lyla turns 5, but Jacob will most likely never have another mass vaccine again. If something were to happen to him, I don't think I could live with myself.

Second is not Best

Well, the second day of school was not as good as the first. Jacob had a few challenges today. He decided he was going to climb the 6ft chain link fence at recess. And after recess he decided he was not going back in the classroom so he tried to kick the kid in front of him and then plotted to run away. It's a good thing Erik, the therapist, was at school today. He was able to help Jacob get back into the classroom and kept the other kids from the wrath of Jacob. I am really glad that we were able to get his CARD therapist from home to go to school with him. Otherwise some poor woman would have been chasing the child across the campus and that would be a bad thing on the second day of school. Hope nest week is better.

Jacob's First Day of Kindergarten

Jacob had his first day of kindergarten today. He did great. He loved every minute of it and told me after school, "Mom, I get to go back tomorrow." He got excited about going after we went and met his teacher, Ms. Andrew yesterday. He knew right where to go and he was very happy about all of it. He made a coconut hat after they read "Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom". Here are some pictures. We will see how tomorrow goes.

Jacob before school with his new surf board shirt

Jacob and Ana with the coconut hat!

Summer has come to an end

I am realizing that my summer if fianlly coming to an end. Although I have not blogged at all this summer, we have done a few fun things. The kids took simming lessons for four weeks. Once Jake got his goggles he was fine. Before that he informed the teahcer that he would not be putting his face in the water until he was 7, maybe. Anabelle progressed well and loved jumping in the most. Although neither of them are what I would call water-safe yet, they had fun. Lyla did the best. She goes under water and never cries. She will swim back and forth between mom and dad, and she even started blowing a couple of bubbles. She is so advanced!!

Grandma and grandpa also came for a visit when Lyla turned one. Although we did not have a smashingly hugh 1st birhtday party, we still had fun. The kids loved grandma and grandpa. They always do. Grandpa fixed a few things around the house for us and grandma played with the kids. We had a nice weekend.

Lyla loved her cake made by Mom!

YUMMY!

Presents!

Now we are about to start school again and I think I am more excited than the kids. Jacob will start Kindergarten in the morning. His teacher, whom we met toady, was very kind and I think she is going to be fabulous with him. Anabelle will start preschool on Sept. 2nd. I can hardly contain my joy! I know she is going to love it too! We will have to see what the next few weeks brings.