From the Mind of My Kayla…5

July 15th, 2010, posted in Uncategorized

We are on our way to take a look at a new vehicle for daddy, Kayla couldn’t be more happy. It happens to be a pickup truck. So happy in fact that she advised me: “remember mommy, I gonna drive the hiccup truck all the way to school for you mommy.”

Ab Workout ~ No Crunches!!

July 12th, 2010, posted in Mommy Tips, Personal

Found this great workout for the lower belly, as well as a couple other key areas. I too HATE doing crunches, so I gave these a whirl.   There has been a small noticeable difference in the last couple of days, so give it a try!  As clumsy as I am, it definitely is helping to maintain a better posture, and balance. Win Win!

Make Your Own Time Out Chart

July 12th, 2010, posted in Autism, Mommy Tips

I can not take full credit for the idea, I got it from Kayla’s preschool teacher.  However, I did upgrade its design in my crafty way.  Using about $5 dollars in supplies from our local craft store- AC Moore.  I took a picture of Kayla, cut it out, laminated it and glued it to a little wooden girl shape and put a magnet on the back.

Then you create the sections, Green=Good, yellow, Red=Bad.

The idea is to stay in Green, however if we are yelled at 2 times for something, the 3rd time is straight to timeout, and we are moved into yellow.  We stay there.

If we are yelled at again for something 2 more times, as before the 3rd time they are sent straight to timeout, and moved into red.  With red, we also loose a toy or a privilege for the rest of the day.

I would say it took 2 days of this to get thru, but after, we don’t usually see the red anymore.  Its quite effective, because from what I am learning with autism etc.  the visual makes it more clear for them.  Its right there, in their face.  Now I have also added that after the time out buzzer goes off, (I usually give 10 min) I ask if she understands why she was put in timeout.  If she replies no, then I explain using short sentences, ex: You were using fresh talk, or because you were not being a good listener, or you were arguing with mommy, etc., and those are bad behaviors.

Another thing I also picked up from our OT therapist, is that I no longer say “you were being a bad girl” its a self esteem breaker.  Instead say “you were making a bad choice.”

From the Mind of my Kayla…4

July 12th, 2010, posted in Kayla Says, Personal

Ok, so I have heard thousands of times, stories of the embarrassing moments of a parent when their child blurts out something that is inappropriate.  I have always chuckled, while thinking how lucky I am that hasn’t happened.  However, for some reason it escaped me that I am only now entering the prime time for those situations to happen.   It DID…

We were going into Target, and Kayla wanted to leave her Nintendo DS on the seat, I told her:  ”we can’t do that honey, bring it with you.”   “But why mommy?”  ”Well honey, there are alot of bad people in the world, that would break into our car, and take your DS, then you won’t have it anymore.”  ”Oh that’s not nice mommy!” ” I know so bring it with you.”  ”OK.”

We continue our trip thru Target, and proceed to the checkout…

Kayla proceeds to stand up with her DS and hands the lady her new harmonica, then turns around where there is an older gentlemen and his teenage son, they happen to be Hasidic Jews.  Kayla holds her DS closer and points her finger ready to scold them, while blurting out (loudly) “are those the bad men mommy?”  I know I turned 4 shades of red, and was speechless for a moment as I scanned from the cashier,  who was trying to hold in her laughter, to the man she was talking about, who obviously clearly heard her as he paused a moment and stared at me with disgust.

I pulled away, saying no honey, and trying to explain that I was talking about people who steal.  Yet no matter what I tried to explain in my head it sounded as thou I was digging a deeper hole, so I walked as quickly as possible with head hung low, and vowed to myself  never to return to that Target.

Huge Accomplishment

June 29th, 2010, posted in Autism, Personal

For the past four years, getting anywhere near my daughters feet has been out of the question.  I clip her nails usually at night when she’s asleep, otherwise there is a major meltdown.  It has been a major sensory obstacle for her.  However this morning out of the blue, she notices my toes are painted from my last pedicure and says she wants to paint her toes too… ~OMG!!!!  Naturally I said sure, this was HUGE!  So I let her pick out a color, and she actually let me paint her toes, with NO squirming or screaming.  I am sooo excited (obviously) that I texted everyone and then felt it necessary to create this post also  haha.  Finished product:

A Thought to Ponder~

June 10th, 2010, posted in Personal

“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.” ~Earl Nightingale

Meet My Two New Best-friends!

June 10th, 2010, posted in Uncategorized

Ok, so if you read my bio, you know I have 4 cats, what you may not know however, is that I am also a major clean freak with allergies.  I also go thru vacuums like water, and since my one cat has been ill recently I have slightly injured my carpet cleaner.  So I was beyond ecstatic when I made friends with my new Euro-Pro Shark Navigator Bagless Vacuum which is purple, YAY! (I swear it had nothing to do with the decision process, it was just a bonus hehe), and my Bissell SpotBot Pet Carpet Cleaner.

I was completely skeptical of both items, but since they both had such good reviews on them I figured OK give it a try.  The first thing that shocked me was how lightweight the Shark Vacuum was.  I haven’t had a vacuum that weighed so little unless you count the Dustbuster I used to have, and the SpotBot carpet cleaner that cleans all by itself??  Both of them together coming in way under the $500 Dyson pricetag? Just couldn’t be true…

Well it was!  They are the two best cleaning appliances I have EVER bought and I LOVE them!!!!

From the Mind of my Kayla…3

June 7th, 2010, posted in Kayla Says, Personal

So my husband was patiently (ha) waiting for the Fed Ex man to deliver his new Ipad today. While he had me practically glued to the door and him checking the website every 3 min, it was my Kayla who yells out “Mommy the Chipettes are here“. Chipettes being from the new movie Alvin and the Chipmunks the Squeakquel, arrived at Jett Records via Fed Ex.  I sign for the package, while she tugs at the package “let them out mommy“.  She then begins singing “All the Single Ladies“.

Don’t Leave Your Dog in a Hot Car

June 3rd, 2010, posted in Uncategorized

Dogs in Hot Cars

From the mind of my Kayla…2

May 11th, 2010, posted in Kayla Says, Personal, Save the Wolves

“Who do we root for Kayla?”

” Team Jacob mommy, cuz wolves rule!”