Not the Only One in Need of Therapy

Today was Thomas' third visit to Baylor Our Children's House for Occupational Therapy. Overall, I have been very impressed. The session lasts thirty minutes and Katie, his therapist works him the entire time. Not toy is easily obtained. Fussing doesn't get him out of an uncomfortable position. This is serious stuff.

Today's visit went well. Thomas is adjusting to the routine and sweet Katie said she could already see progress. She is absolutely one of the nicest people I have ever met, so it is hard to know if she would ever say anything not positive after a session.

Thankfully the drive down went much better than last week.

It was our first trip to Baylor OCH from our house and our appointment time is 8:30 am. Thomas had not slept well the night before. I was tired and driving a new route in traffic, nervous about getting there on time. I turned on Abrams instead of Skillman, but the whole time thinking I was on Skillman until I had gone too far and had to backtrack. While trying to get myself back on the road I knew, I made a right on red. And there were the flashing lights and siren right behind me. The policeman wanted nothing to do with my sad story of being lost, trying to get to my son's therapy appointment, you know the adorable one the the back, and yes, that is a heart surgery scar you can see there by the neck of his shirt. It was just this past April, sir. Sob, Sob. A hard time for the family. No he didn't want to hear any of that. Didn't even give me a chance to start my pitiful speech, just wrote the ticket, jumped back on his motorcycle and in seconds was pulling over a Ford F150.

I don't know if you have had the joy of being pulled over with a three year old in the back seat. Let me tell you, it is a joy. "What's that policeman doing?" "Why are you turning on this road mommy?" "Why are you stopping the car?" "Why did he give you a ticket mommy?" "Why did you turn?" "Were you not supposed to turn mommy?" "Red light means stop, right, mommy?" "Where are we going now, mommy?" "Are we going to a police station?" "Are we going to the police station after Thomas' appointment?" "When are we going to the police station?"

Oh, good times. Let me tell you.

And then, when we got in the car to go to where else but Target later that afternoon, she says "Remember to stop at the red lights, mommy." Thanks Olivia.

So today's visit went much smoother, and was much less expensive. There truly is a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

This is my house from a different angle

So, since only my parents and sister will get the title of this post, I have to explain. I hate when I am left out of the inside jokes so I would never do that to you.

My sister set me up with a guy she worked with while I was in college. I will not name names in order to maintain his privacy, and because his name is a whole other inside joke story to share at another time.

He was a little different from the guys I had dated in the past. An example being that one of our dates was to a Monster Truck Show. Second row. So romantic. Also, he had a huge passion for hunting.

He came to dinner one night with my family and brought along a video of his hunting trip to show us all the dear he shot. When we turned it on it was a shot of Bambi's dad, dead, strapped to the back of a four wheeler. All was quiet as the camera gazed upon the animal, then the videographer walked to the other side of the four wheeler and you heard a voice say "And here's the deer from a diffrnt angle."

On Friday morning Olivia jumped in bed with Thomas, which she loves to do, and asked me to take their picture. After I did she asked to look at the pictures in the camera. Then she apparently walked around the house taking pictures while I finished getting dressed.

Our House: A Photo Essay by Olivia Fawkes.

Thomas' Room

Our Bathroom

(with the missing drawer knob)

Hallway Shelf

Coat Closet

(what made her open the door to take a picture I will never know.)

Olivia's Room

Table in Entry Way

Dining Room

Kitchen

Thomas, still waking up

Perfection

Tricky Tricky Tricky

We are officially in the post-Halloween candy craze. And it is not just me, but Olivia, too, however it seems I am much worse. I cannot stop myself from raiding her candy bag. Thankfully she is happy to share, so I am not like hiding in closets and popping mints to hide my addiction. Last night she didn't eat enough of her dinner to get a piece of candy for dessert, but she had just as much fun picking out candy for Mike and I to have for dessert. Sweet girl.


Halloween was a fun night. It started a little stressful as Mike had to work up until about the minute we had to meet friends to trick-or-treat, but once we got going door to door it was great.


Olivia chose to be Ariel, The Little Mermaid this year. Since Thomas is too little to argue, we ordered him a crab costume so he could be her sidekick, Sebastian. He really got into the character, as you can see in the pictures, and did his best to give his crabby face. He was not into the whole dressing up thing. Just wait kid, once you know the sweet addicting pleasure of Halloween candy, you will sing a different tune.

And sad to say, that is the best I got, because they were much cuter than the pictures show. Here are some pumpkin patch snaps, although our camera battery ran out about 10 seconds after we got there so not much better here.

Better go, it's nap time, a candy raiding free for all.