todays update

This afternoon we played outside since the weather was amazing. Its so cute watching the kids swing on their own. I remember swinging like this when i was a child. They all love being outside and it's and added bonus to Addy and Landon when an airplane flies over. Addy says, " Airplane! In the sky!" Adalynn is now up to three word sentences. She can sometimes mimic me and say four as well. I guess i finally have to watch what I'm saying. The other day in the car i started yelling at another driver who pulled out in front of me. I yelled, "DUDE!!" and probably would have continued with some explicative if i hadn't  heard a sweet voiced, "dude" coming from the back seat. Addy's tantrums have turned into a daily occurrence. Pretty much every time she doesn't get her way, she throws herself onto the ground, screams, and carries on with the waterworks. Diva! Her sweet side is she has started singing. So cute!

 

 

Landon has been using more single words lately. His newest word is "circle". He isn't forming sentences yet, but he is one smart cookie. He follows directions very well, and he cleans up after himself when Mama asks. He has even learned how to let Molly dog in and out of the house. Of course when he went out without permission into the backyard he received a spanking! He craves constant praise and attention, and he definitely requires constant attention. Just today i took a large screwdriver and a sharp piece of metal away from him. If there is something dangerous around Landon will find it.

 

Just a swinging!

 

Marek is improving everyday with his therapy. Just this week he signed "all done,"

and he has said the words, "pop, go, no, down." which are all new words. With the help of his speech therapist he has also been using his index finger to point at objects in a book. Typically he only points with his thumb, so using the "pointer" finger is good. He eye contact has been wonderful and Mama got two kisses so far today. We are starting a new therapy place with Autism Solutions this coming Friday. We are going to have to self pay for the therapy since Marek hasn't been given an official diagnosis and  insurance won't yet cover. Unfortunately, it could be months before we even hear something from the center that we applied to get Marek evaluated and treatment from. Aaron and i have decided waiting is not an option so there you go. This place is supposed to teach the parents as well what we can be doing at home, and they even are allowing me to bring the other two kids just to let them play with their toys. That alone makes me happy that i don't have to get a sitter. If i get a good vibe from this place then i intend to have Marek go at least once a week for a hour each time and i will definitely increase the time if a see an improvement.

taking it all in and coming out stronger

My family has been dealing with a very stressful and very overwhelming realization that our son Marek is most likely Autistic with also a sensory processing disorder. I have putting off blogging about it because i was trying to take everything in and understand what actually is happening to my precious baby boy. If you have been reading my blog for awhile then you know he has always lagged behind his siblings at any milestone that wasn't physically related. He barely talks, he barely non verbally communicates. He has no imaginative play. He flaps his arms and has other "stims" that a typical toddler doesn't have. He walks on his tip toes more than most, and has bowel issues that all relate to a child with autism.

 

 

 

We are going to help him anyway that we can. He has started personal one on one speech therapy twice a month, as well as behavior therapy twice a month. I have applied to the Child Study Center of Fort Worth in hopes of him getting into a special class for autism children that could be very beneficial to him. He hasn't actually been officially diagnosed, but all the therapists agree with my assessment. It's definitely a hard pill to swallow when your worst fears are confirmed. I was hoping that maybe he was just quiet, reserved, a loner, but i now know there is more. My next step after lining up all his therapies, and having the pediatrician refer me to the Child Study Center was to change Marek's diet. After googling like crazy and reading books that parents have written about their children, i have found that many parents have "recovered" or lessened the effects of autism through a strict gluten free, casein free diet. That basically means no wheat, barley, or rye (gluten)

and  no dairy or dairy products (casein). Unfortunately for him, its all the good stuff that kids love. He has been on it for about two weeks, and i find that i am still making mistakes. It is hard to find just the right foods that he can eat, as well as that tastes good. The more i research, the more i learn, so i am perfecting his diet daily. Initially i planned on keeping the triplets diet separate. It is very expensive to try to do a gluten free-casein free diet (GFCF). I was going to let Adalynn and Landon keeping eating and drinking regular foods and milk, but i found that it was too hard to watch Marek constantly. If he grabs a chip or cookie he isn't supposed to have or drinks whole milk from a sippy when I'm not looking, it defeats the whole point of the strict diet.

 

With that i have decided to just change everyones diet at all meals. When i can isolate Landon or Addy from Marek, and can watch them eat,  then they can have have dairy or wheat. For example, Landon and Addy are using a fork and spoon now. I can put regular oatmeal and yogurt in a bowl for them. Marek has no interest in using utensils, nor does he attempt to grab from their bowls, so he can have his gluten free pancakes while they have oatmeal for breakfast.

 

My cousin has a very allergic child who is gluten free and thankfully he pointed me to  already kid tested tasteful gluten foods. That has definitely saved us the hassle and money trying various different kinds. I also have a friend who loves cooking, and with her research and mine we have found great options for the kids. This weekend we are going to try and prepare meals to freeze for next week.

 

In the long run we are going to spend a lot more than the average parent to groceries, but if it helps Marek in any way it will be worth all the money and the fuss. This diet doesn't work for every child of autism, but since being put on the diet i already see subtle changes. Marek has better eye contact, and he jabbers more. He says "mama" more. and a few days ago he grabbed my face with both hands

 and gave me a kiss. That might seem simple to most parents, but to me it meant everything.

 Marek used  to give kisses all the time when asked. For the last several months he has turned his head away from kisses and stopped giving kisses altogether.

 

I don't know what caused this to happen to Marek. It could have been his vaccines like a lot of parents suspect. It could be that his is a triplet baby born prematurely through an emergency cesarean, who spent two months in the NICU. Maybe it's genetic from somewhere in my husbands family. We will probably never know. Honestly it doesn't matter since it won't change it.

 

 

That is where my hard work and tenacity is going to make a difference. If i have to work more hours to pay for therapies, if i have to actually learn how to cook and organically prepare my own meals then i will do whatever it takes.

 

My babies are my everything. Period.

 

These photos i tookout in the  backyard a few days ago. Its the start of my favorite time of year- Fall!

 

Happy Fall Y'all

frugality at its finest

In order to save a few bucks, i decided to cut the boys hair myself. This could have been completely disastrous, but thankfully i think they both turned out ok. It's far from perfect, but after spending only $16 on supplies, i have already saved money. For both the boys to get hair cut it on average costs $30-40 depending on tip. Booster chair, cartoons, and a sucker is all you need to keep my crazy boys entertained long enough to get the job done.

 

Handsome Landon loves his sucker

And obviously his hair cut too.

 

 

Handsome Marek keeps his hair cut a tad longer.

Took Marek a little longer to become comfortable with momma tugging on his hair, but i think the sucker finally won him over.

Overall Momma saved money, and the boys didn't get butchered too bad.  Of course Adalynn still hasn't ever had a hair cut, and i will not be doing it when the time comes. Girls always need a paid professional!

Samanthas 3rd Birthday

The last weekend in August we celebrated my nieces third birthday with a princess theme. She had an amazing princess castle cake, two princess pop up play tents, and a house full of friends and family.

 

 

princess castle cake

three sweet princesses: Sam, Emma, & Avery

sweet Addy

Marek

Landon

no boys allowed!!

Memaw and Adalynn

Landon checking out Sams new bike

happiest poop ever

Never thought that I would be happy to see poop, but when your potty training daughter goes poop in the potty for the first time i was honestly surprised and so proud. We have been working with Addy peeing in the potty and really haven't even thought about the poop aspect of potty training. At three p.m she still had a dry pull-up when i set her on the potty. I typically leave the room while she goes potty, otherwise she gets distracted. If she says "yea" then she went potty. Today i heard her say "poo-poo" while on the potty, but i really didn't think anything about it. When i saw poop in the potty, i was like, "Where did that come from? Did you poo-poo?" I literally had to spread her butt cheeks for confirmation! lol So of course i rushed to get my camera to capture this momentous occasion. Before i could race back, i hear flushing and Landon saying, "bye-bye pee-pee." Damn! I really wanted a picture with the first poop. Grotesque i know! Call me sentimental for milestones. We wiped and took a pic of the next flush. Yea Adalynn, such a big girl!

Landon

Marek

sick but now better

Adalynn and Landon were sick last week, and I feel like i am just now recovering. Sad, I know. Addy picked up a viral infection-most likely from the gym playroom. She ran a fever, but the main problem was a large blister on her tongue. Apparently it made eating and pacifer use very painful. Every time she would take a bite of food, she would scream and cry. It really did break my heart to watch her. Even with soft food, we still had to suppliment her diet with Ensure to keep her calories up. Addy is so petite that not eating is not an option. Landon eventually started running a fever as well and had a few small blisters on the back of his tongue, but that didn't really stop that little piggy from eating. What kills mommy and daddy is the not sleeping. Adalynn screamed all night practically for two days straight, and Landon was a little less severe. We were zombies. They have recovered, but I don't bounce back as quickly as i used to. Back to the gym playroom this week. I sanitize their hands going in and coming out, but I'm adding a direct path to the bathroom (when we get back home) to wash our hands to our routine.

oatmeal, art, and "love you"

This has been a pretty uneventful week, until today. Pretty much we have breakfast, then go to the gym. The triplets play in the gym playroom with tons of kids since it is still too hot to play outside. Next we run an errand or go straight home for lunch. After naps we venture out again if i have another errand to run, or stay in and play in the nice cool house playroom. The kids really seem to like going places, and they are pretty well behaved. For instance if i go to Kohls to shop i will push Adalynn and Marek in the twin stroller and let Landon walk next to us either holding onto the stroller or tagging along behind. Today my day was made because Addy finally said "Love you" back and even blew me kisses while doing it!!! Such a sweet angel at that moment. Lucky me I happened to catch it on video. So now i have the moment forever!!

oatmeal for breakfast

Marek

Landon

Still learning to use spoons while eating oatmeal, but it's a working progress. I think addy has already learned the benefit of a good oatmeal facial though. While at the gym playroom on Monday the sitter gave me artwork the kids had done. This is actually their first color attempt besides at restaurants. It's hard to keep up with three colorists, so i definitely don't mind someone else doing it.