01.27.13

The temperature was somewhat tolerable this afternoon, so after Paige's nap, we headed over to Minnewasta to do some sledding.  Wyatt was incredibly resistant (although his argument was that it looked "too fun"), but as you can see he tried it and loved it. Paige did too, but that's hardly a surprise. ;)

01.20.13

I just scrolled through all the pictures on my camera, hoping to find one decent one, but no.  All blurry.  I've stopped taking pictures because I am so fed up with my new camera.  That's good, right?
We got Wyatt's results back from his SPD testing.  Overall, he did amazingly well with anything vision-based (copying a pattern or a movement, for example). He struggled with the tactile tests and did poorly on all of the tests based on his vestibular system.  So his OT wants to start a 6-8 week program working with him to strengthen his vestibular system (his sense of balance and movement) so that he is more confident in that area.
Last week Wyatt had to undergo some pretty major dental surgery.  While he was a champ and did remarkably well, I have been having some serious issues with the administration and the dentist that did the surgery from Children's Dental World. It is causing massive stress for me, and I haven't slept well since Wednesday because I work myself into a rage as soon as I lay down. I won't go into details here because most of you have heard them, and it is such a long story. I hope to get some resolution tomorrow, but it won't be an easy process.
Other than that, not much else has been going on (thank goodness!).  Paige has been going through a disgusting phase of digging out already chewed food from her mouth and grinding it into her hair and clothing. Hopefully that ends...tomorrow?
Between the OT and the dental surgery I have been feeling pretty burnt out.  I tried to plan a few activities on the weekends to keep myself busy with things I enjoy, but so far none of them have actually come to fruition. Kind of drives you deeper down that hole. I've booked an appointment for a new tattoo for myself, but that won't come around until April. And I can't really plan much else right now - part of the issue with the dental clinic is the bill, which our insurance covers less than 50%, so until that is sorted out, I'm kind of living in fear of being broker than broke for the next few months.
So, to recap, I'm miserable, and my 4 year old has spent the last few weeks being dragged from one appointment to another. :|

01.08.13

On Sunday we decided to do something a little different, and headed out to the zoo in Winnipeg with my parents.  The wind was a bit brisk, but we still had a great time.  Lots of animals to see, even in the winter!
Last Friday, Wyatt had a 2 1/2 hour specialist appointment at the hospital to do testing for sensory processing disorder.  He co-operated incredibly well, and did everything he was asked. He did fairly well with some of the tasks, but struggled with a few.  Towards the end he was becoming visibly distressed, so thank goodness it was basically done.  We get the results tomorrow.
Today, Wyatt had a dental consult in Winnipeg. Long story short, he's having dental surgery next Friday and will have to be under general anesthetic for the procedure. Prayers and well wishes are appreciated.
I'm very grateful that I have a boss who is accommodating, so that I can take Wyatt to all of these appointments (basically on a weekly basis now). While some days the OT appointments seem overwhelming and I wish I had never started with them in the first place, I know it is necessary, especially because he will be starting school in 9 (!) months and we have to deal with some of the issues now.
Work has not been great lately, I find it incredibly stressful.  Very few of my co-workers seem to feel the same way though, so I wonder if I am stressing over nothing, or if I am the only one who still cares. There are also some personality...um, differences that I am having try deal with, and I am sure I am not handling that well either.
Something I AM looking forward to is checking out a new "paint your own pottery" place in Winkler with my mom this weekend.  It'll be nice to have something else to occupy my mind for a few hours. :)

1.1.13

Opening their pjs on Christmas Eve.

Pretty happy about the red combine he asked for!

Mixing up some treats.

Brunch with grandma and grandpa!

Christmas with the Schroeders included a visit with my brother and nephew on the iPad!

Well, Christmas has come and gone, and the new year is here.  Both children were soundly spoiled by both families this year. I think we'll be doing some purging of old toys later on this month.  I've been eyeing up new storage systems from IKEA for the kids' rooms to try to organize things a bit better.
I don't have any new year's resolutions to share this year.  We started the Biggest Loser competition at work a few weeks back, so I have been eating well and exercising for a while now and will continue after the competition ends.  I guess one thing I'd like to work on in general is just being a better person.  I've been struggling with depression on and off for the past few months, and when I get into a low spot, I become incredibly negative.  It's no fun for anyone around me.
2012 led to Wyatt starting his occupation therapy appointments to deal with his sensory processing disorder.  On Friday we have a THREE HOUR appointment with an OT from Winnipeg who specializes in sensory integration. I don't know exactly what the appointment will entail, but I do know that it will be exhausting for him.  We usual notice a lot of bad behaviour after his OT appointments, I imagine all the effort he's exerting is not only physically exhausting but also mentally and that's what leads to him lashing out.  A lack of activity also puts him in a fowl mood, so it's been a bit of a rough few months with him.  I think we'll need lots of patience and understanding going into 2013.