We are looking forward to Spring...which I don't think we'll ever actually have this year. So Summer it is!
Nolan started soccer two weeks ago. He was so excited when he got there, but once all 128 kids crammed on to four fields, it became more like a people-watching event for him and less a soccer practice and game. He didn't really want to practice the drills or play in the game. It was a horrible muddy mess. We were in mud past our ankles. Last week we were off, but we have a game this coming Saturday. Hopefully, he'll be a little more interested in participating this time.
Last weekend, we took Nolan to Ann Arbor to get his Go Glider. After over two years of trying to ride a tricycle with not much luck, we have changed gears. After we picked up the bike and Thomas the Train goodies from Grandma Pietchak at an adorable store called Mudpuddles, we walked to a local Italian restaurant for some delicious pizza. We headed home and then to the park. Nolan was hesitant to get on the bike at home. I had an idea...I'd put him on it inside the house in front of a mirror. That did the trick! He was thrilled! We went to the park and put him on it. He is on the smaller side for this bike, but he'll have it for a long time and grow in to it. He walked the glider standing over it, then he walked it sitting on the seat. Finally, he put his feet on the foot bars and Jeff pushed him a little bit. I could tell he was sooooo proud and very interested. We hope that bike gets a lot of use this summer.
This coming weekend is Nolan's 4th birthday. I'll never forget the day he was born, so precious and little. Sometimes, I like to put my nose to his skin and just take in a deep breath. He is such a joy to be around and makes us laugh constantly. Our house is full life and love because of him. He said today that he's not three anymore, he's four and won't be 3 again. So true, Nolan, we'll never see 3 again. What a wonderful year we've had. We thank God for you everyday.
You'll notice I've stopped posting photos in the blog and just put them on flickr. You can click to the right and it will take you there. You will see our everday adventures.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Where's Spring?
Well, I thought Spring was coming. The Groundhog even said so. Blah... Even though the weather isn't showing signs of Spring, we are planning lots of fun things.
Nolan is officially a member of the Royal Oak Youth Soccer Association Lil' Renegades. We've been talking to Nolan about playing soccer and he really loves it. I hope he gets the concept of a team. When we played last week at the park, he told me to get away from the ball because I was too slow. We'll have to work on our sportsmanship and team skills. He understands that he'll be at a park with friends and a coach and that we'll be watching nearby. I can't wait for his first day. I hope that the shin guards on top of his AFOs don't restrict him too much.
We got tickets tonight for the Thomas show at the Palace. I will be out of town so Jeff is going to surprise Nolan and take him. I think he will really enjoy the show...and a big bowl of palomitas, his new favorite snack.
In April, I will be going to a scrapbook retreat with a coworker and my sister. I am beyond excited. Also, my sister and I may be going to the Vera Bradley Outlet Sale in Fort Wayne that same week as well. Too much excitement!
I've picked back up on my sewing. I dearly love it and have not been able to do it in years. I made a vintage apron for my sister and myself and then I made a purse for myself. I hope to be able to keep doing creative things that I love.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
We're Back!
I know, that's what I said last time. Shortly after my last post, our computer was infected with a virus and we didn't get it fixed. We bought a new computer and I never got around to updating much. I need to catch up with flickr and the blog. Well I doubt I'll catch up, but I'll start again.
We are really looking forward to Spring at our house. I have been sick since December it seems like. I know that Nolan is dying to go to the park and go on the slides.
We have been outside in the snow. Actually, this is Nolan's first year in the snow. He couldn't stand to be in a snowsuit before. This year, we just got him a parka and hiking boots. That seemed to work better for him. He loves to dig and shovel which usually consists of him taking snow off the piles and putting it back on to the sidewalk we just shoveled. I am just so happy that he enjoys the outdoors year round.
Nolan is in two different preschools right now. He has been discharged from PT, OT and recently graduated from ST two years to the day almost from when he started. He was originally diagnosed with five communication disorders, three labeled severe. He currently tests at and above his age level in language. We couldn't be happier for him. This is definitely a victory for Nolan! He tries so hard.
Nolan was casted again this winter. He had great success and he is currently doing a home stretching program three days a week.
We are waiting to return to OT in the next few months to brush up on some skills and learn some everyday living skills. We are starting to work on this at home while we wait.
We're getting all of our summer plans together for projects around the house and what we're going to grow. If we can get it together, we want to get a garden started. Nolan loves gardens, seeds, watering, digging and of course, fruits and vegetables. It will be a good project for all of us.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Where am I?
Ha, ha, ha! I frequently look at my sad blog and wonder what happened? The good news is that I gave Jeff the password so hopefully between the two of us, we can keep this going. Everytime Nolan says something genius, I think we should post it...and never do. Here's one for you. Tonight he was reading the Bed Bath and Beyond circular and says, "B-E-D, that says bed." Ok, where'd he learn that?
In April, Nolan was discharged from his PT and OT. They gave us a set of exercises to follow. We have found having an active lifestyle for Nolan is just as important. He's learned so many things at the playground like climbing a ladder, backing down a ladder, stepping out and balancing on one foot. Nolan really loved Miss Heather and Miss Claudina. They taught him so much. We will forever be grateful. Nolan is scheduled to have a re-evaluation soon to determine if and when he should return to therapy.
Nolan continues in speech therapy. We did unfortunately have a long break due to insurance issues. Also, his beloved therapist Sarah gave birth to a baby boy named Owen. That, of course, made Nolan very jealous. However, he is happy as ever and thriving in Miss Sarah's care again. She is an amazing speech therapist and will never know the impact she has had on Nolan's life. She gave us our chatterbox!
In April, Nolan started preschool at Beaumont. What a wonderful program they have. He is in a preschool with other speech impaired children. His classroom is staffed by a special education teacher and a speech therapist. Nolan has grown leaps and bounds emotionally, academically and socially. He is learning to share, resolve conflict, make friends and most importantly communicate. He gets very excited to go and learns so much in there. We just wanted him to learn to talk so the academic achievements are just icing on the cake. I didn't know the days of the week and months of the year until I was five, he had just turned three when he learned. They have him practicing his writing and learning about so many things. His team of experts there are great and seem to really care for the emotional well being of our little man.
Of course in May we celebrated Nolan's third birthday. This year he really "got it." We had a party at Hess Hathaway in Waterford. It was the most horrible day weather-wise, but we made the best of it. About 45 people even came! The kids played in the 48 degree weather, high winds and rain. We had to duct tape everything! We then went on a tour of farm animals with Farmer John. The kids (well I should say most kids) really loved this part. Then, we went on a thirty minute hay ride. Farmer John was really taking some of those hills kind of rough. Again it was a lot of fun enjoyed by *most*. When we returned to our gazebo, we had lunch and cake. Everyone was pretty much sick of the weather at this point and left. We went home and Nolan laid on the couch for the rest of the night. He was whipped. He was completely spoiled with wonderful friends and gifts.
Our summer has been full of trips to the zoo, Tigers games, playgrounds galore and daily swimming in our pool. I forgot how much I love summer. Nolan really brought that love back out in me.
I got a long weekend over Fourth of July. We had a great time and tried to do something every day. Nolan saw his first fireworks show with his friend Maya and her sister. He wasn't really interested. He kept asking, "What's happening?" Then, he found a curb to jump off of and did that for the rest of the show. Oh, our Nolan!
We are gearing up for our vacation to Grandma Pietchak's house. Nolan already has it planned...playing with my Little People houses from when I was a kid is his number one priority, then he wants to swim, fish, ride a horse and have Grandma buy him some new cars. Tonight I asked him if he was going to cook for Grandma, he said, "No! I don't cook. Grandma cook for Baby Nolan." It's funny because I've never heard him refer to himself as Baby Nolan.
I have met three great families with hemiplegic children and the moms and I are planning a big picnic in August to bring together families like ours in our area. We are so excited to do this and can't wait to meet everyone. We found a great park with a sprayscape. Jeff, Nolan and I visited a few weeks ago and Nolan loved it.
Well I hope to update more often..."we'll have to see" as Nolan says.
In April, Nolan was discharged from his PT and OT. They gave us a set of exercises to follow. We have found having an active lifestyle for Nolan is just as important. He's learned so many things at the playground like climbing a ladder, backing down a ladder, stepping out and balancing on one foot. Nolan really loved Miss Heather and Miss Claudina. They taught him so much. We will forever be grateful. Nolan is scheduled to have a re-evaluation soon to determine if and when he should return to therapy.
Nolan continues in speech therapy. We did unfortunately have a long break due to insurance issues. Also, his beloved therapist Sarah gave birth to a baby boy named Owen. That, of course, made Nolan very jealous. However, he is happy as ever and thriving in Miss Sarah's care again. She is an amazing speech therapist and will never know the impact she has had on Nolan's life. She gave us our chatterbox!
In April, Nolan started preschool at Beaumont. What a wonderful program they have. He is in a preschool with other speech impaired children. His classroom is staffed by a special education teacher and a speech therapist. Nolan has grown leaps and bounds emotionally, academically and socially. He is learning to share, resolve conflict, make friends and most importantly communicate. He gets very excited to go and learns so much in there. We just wanted him to learn to talk so the academic achievements are just icing on the cake. I didn't know the days of the week and months of the year until I was five, he had just turned three when he learned. They have him practicing his writing and learning about so many things. His team of experts there are great and seem to really care for the emotional well being of our little man.
Of course in May we celebrated Nolan's third birthday. This year he really "got it." We had a party at Hess Hathaway in Waterford. It was the most horrible day weather-wise, but we made the best of it. About 45 people even came! The kids played in the 48 degree weather, high winds and rain. We had to duct tape everything! We then went on a tour of farm animals with Farmer John. The kids (well I should say most kids) really loved this part. Then, we went on a thirty minute hay ride. Farmer John was really taking some of those hills kind of rough. Again it was a lot of fun enjoyed by *most*. When we returned to our gazebo, we had lunch and cake. Everyone was pretty much sick of the weather at this point and left. We went home and Nolan laid on the couch for the rest of the night. He was whipped. He was completely spoiled with wonderful friends and gifts.
Our summer has been full of trips to the zoo, Tigers games, playgrounds galore and daily swimming in our pool. I forgot how much I love summer. Nolan really brought that love back out in me.
I got a long weekend over Fourth of July. We had a great time and tried to do something every day. Nolan saw his first fireworks show with his friend Maya and her sister. He wasn't really interested. He kept asking, "What's happening?" Then, he found a curb to jump off of and did that for the rest of the show. Oh, our Nolan!
We are gearing up for our vacation to Grandma Pietchak's house. Nolan already has it planned...playing with my Little People houses from when I was a kid is his number one priority, then he wants to swim, fish, ride a horse and have Grandma buy him some new cars. Tonight I asked him if he was going to cook for Grandma, he said, "No! I don't cook. Grandma cook for Baby Nolan." It's funny because I've never heard him refer to himself as Baby Nolan.
I have met three great families with hemiplegic children and the moms and I are planning a big picnic in August to bring together families like ours in our area. We are so excited to do this and can't wait to meet everyone. We found a great park with a sprayscape. Jeff, Nolan and I visited a few weeks ago and Nolan loved it.
Well I hope to update more often..."we'll have to see" as Nolan says.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Spring Has Almost Sprung!
We are so excited for Spring and warm weather to come. The days just seem a whole lot easier with the sun out.
We planned on a nice Valentine's Day, but I seemed to be sick an aweful lot this past winter. A strange virus that inflamed my heart, a bout of diverticulitis, a double ear infection and sinus infection...I had my share. I have been feeling much better since I started taking vitamins again and trying to eat more locally-grown, organic foods. So...Valentine's Day was a bust, but Nolan worked very hard on his Valentines Day presents. We used the opportunity to work with his right hand. He was so proud to pick everything out and make them. He even asked to buy wrapping paper to wrap them. So sweet. We ended up celebrating Valentines Day at the end of February at Maggiano's. Nolan got a flatbread pizza, but filled up on salad and bread before it came.
Nolan has been so great in his therapy. He's been wearing his night brace consistently and it is really helping to keep his heel cord stretched where it needs to be. The therapists are quite impressed with the progress he has made since starting at the new clinic in December. They recently decided that they would like to release Nolan from therapy for six months to work at home and see how he does. I am quite nervous about the prospect of this; however, when you look at what he's done so far, it's simply amazing in my eyes. But then again, I am his mother. Ha, ha. Nolan will meeting with "Dr. Brewski" as he calls him, it's Dr. Dabrowski, his amazing physiatrist in two weeks and he will evaluate him and make the final decision. I am planning on him being ok with it. I am sure that Jeff and Nolan will enjoy all of the free time they will gain by not having all those weekly appointments. We took Nolan to tour the pool at the Troy Rec Center which will become our new fitness home and he fell over backwards...literally. He is thrilled because there are slides. Nolan has always liked water, but now he tries to swim and dive in the tub which has become quite dangerous. I have to watch him very carefully. Nolan will dearly miss Miss Heather and Miss Claudina at the DMC. They have been so good to him and so good to us. They are wonderful at what they do. He talks about them constantly. He lights up when he sees them. Nolan is still waiting to get back into speech therapy. His therapist, Miss Sarah, again who he loves dearly, had her baby boy early and had to unexpectedly leave. She will return soon and hopefully Nolan can get back on her schedule.
Nolan will be starting pre-school on April 13. He will be going to Beaumont's pre-school for children with speech difficulties. We feel so blessed to be a part of this program. I think that, coupled with more therapy, we will have Nolan well on his way. His class is all boys which should be interesting. I am sure that Nolan will do great and I can't wait for him to experience this.
Nolan's language is coming along quite well. I always want to post when he says something cute or funny, but I swear I'd be posting all day. He LOVES to be read to and I think that this has helped him tremendously. Nolan loves all of his books and usually has his books picked out for nap and bedtime and we must read them in order. He has most of his books memorized which is so cute to listen to him read them. Jeff's trying to post them on You Tube. Nolan has a set of verb flashcards that he adores and it's so cute to hear what he thinks the people in the pictures are doing. He is so literal that his answers are just hilarious.
We've been to the zoo already since the new year and have been trying out new parks. We walk a lot and love to find new places for Nolan to explore. Anywhere he can run is ok by him. We have a very physically active boy which I am so thankful for. We've been to a few gatherings with families from a parenting board I am on. I am so thankful for their friendships and wisdom. Nolan is doing quite well with his peers and I've even heard him try to talk to others which is huge for him. He had a great time with a group of boys of all ages playing. I love to see him interact with others. We have an outing planned tomorrow with a group of families who all have a child with hemiplegia like Nolan. I am so happy to have found them for support. There's nothing like finding a family like your own.
One of my new endeavors is that I've started cooking dried beans and am always looking for recipes. They seem to go over well with Jeff and Nolan. We are also considering making a small garden this summer to get our vegetables from. We'll see if I can talk Jeff into managing one more thing in our household.
Nolan's birthday is right around the corner. We haven't decided what we're doing quite yet, but we're excited to celebrate as is Nolan. I am sure it will fun whatever we do.
We planned on a nice Valentine's Day, but I seemed to be sick an aweful lot this past winter. A strange virus that inflamed my heart, a bout of diverticulitis, a double ear infection and sinus infection...I had my share. I have been feeling much better since I started taking vitamins again and trying to eat more locally-grown, organic foods. So...Valentine's Day was a bust, but Nolan worked very hard on his Valentines Day presents. We used the opportunity to work with his right hand. He was so proud to pick everything out and make them. He even asked to buy wrapping paper to wrap them. So sweet. We ended up celebrating Valentines Day at the end of February at Maggiano's. Nolan got a flatbread pizza, but filled up on salad and bread before it came.
Nolan has been so great in his therapy. He's been wearing his night brace consistently and it is really helping to keep his heel cord stretched where it needs to be. The therapists are quite impressed with the progress he has made since starting at the new clinic in December. They recently decided that they would like to release Nolan from therapy for six months to work at home and see how he does. I am quite nervous about the prospect of this; however, when you look at what he's done so far, it's simply amazing in my eyes. But then again, I am his mother. Ha, ha. Nolan will meeting with "Dr. Brewski" as he calls him, it's Dr. Dabrowski, his amazing physiatrist in two weeks and he will evaluate him and make the final decision. I am planning on him being ok with it. I am sure that Jeff and Nolan will enjoy all of the free time they will gain by not having all those weekly appointments. We took Nolan to tour the pool at the Troy Rec Center which will become our new fitness home and he fell over backwards...literally. He is thrilled because there are slides. Nolan has always liked water, but now he tries to swim and dive in the tub which has become quite dangerous. I have to watch him very carefully. Nolan will dearly miss Miss Heather and Miss Claudina at the DMC. They have been so good to him and so good to us. They are wonderful at what they do. He talks about them constantly. He lights up when he sees them. Nolan is still waiting to get back into speech therapy. His therapist, Miss Sarah, again who he loves dearly, had her baby boy early and had to unexpectedly leave. She will return soon and hopefully Nolan can get back on her schedule.
Nolan will be starting pre-school on April 13. He will be going to Beaumont's pre-school for children with speech difficulties. We feel so blessed to be a part of this program. I think that, coupled with more therapy, we will have Nolan well on his way. His class is all boys which should be interesting. I am sure that Nolan will do great and I can't wait for him to experience this.
Nolan's language is coming along quite well. I always want to post when he says something cute or funny, but I swear I'd be posting all day. He LOVES to be read to and I think that this has helped him tremendously. Nolan loves all of his books and usually has his books picked out for nap and bedtime and we must read them in order. He has most of his books memorized which is so cute to listen to him read them. Jeff's trying to post them on You Tube. Nolan has a set of verb flashcards that he adores and it's so cute to hear what he thinks the people in the pictures are doing. He is so literal that his answers are just hilarious.
We've been to the zoo already since the new year and have been trying out new parks. We walk a lot and love to find new places for Nolan to explore. Anywhere he can run is ok by him. We have a very physically active boy which I am so thankful for. We've been to a few gatherings with families from a parenting board I am on. I am so thankful for their friendships and wisdom. Nolan is doing quite well with his peers and I've even heard him try to talk to others which is huge for him. He had a great time with a group of boys of all ages playing. I love to see him interact with others. We have an outing planned tomorrow with a group of families who all have a child with hemiplegia like Nolan. I am so happy to have found them for support. There's nothing like finding a family like your own.
One of my new endeavors is that I've started cooking dried beans and am always looking for recipes. They seem to go over well with Jeff and Nolan. We are also considering making a small garden this summer to get our vegetables from. We'll see if I can talk Jeff into managing one more thing in our household.
Nolan's birthday is right around the corner. We haven't decided what we're doing quite yet, but we're excited to celebrate as is Nolan. I am sure it will fun whatever we do.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Slacker!
Dang...am I a slacker or what? I keep thinking of all of these wonderful things I want to post, but never do.
Gosh, where did we leave off...
We had a great Thanksgiving home alone. We like it that way for the most part. We had our now traditional dinner at Maggiano's. Then, we spent the weekend preparing the house for Christmas. Jeff did our wonderful outdoor light display. And Nolan was so excited to see sleeping Baby Jesus on our planter.
Nolan started therapy in December and that has certainly kept Jeff and him busy during the week. Jeff is able to take him to his appointments in the morning, spend time together, then head off to work and daycare. Nolan's therapists are just wonderful to him and us. I really think it helps when there is a good trust established between patient and provider. Nolan seems to be adapting well to his new schedule and Jeff is doing a great job coordinating everything.
Jeff started a new job in December working part-time for now, hopefully full-time soon. He is home with Nolan and I on Monday and Tuesday nights now and we love it! I love eating dinner as a family.
Christmas was so wonderful this year. We went to Houghton Lake on Christmas Eve to spend time with my family. Nolan was immediately drawn into my old Fisher Price Little People house, school, hospital, etc. We couldn't peel him away from them. The dogs got to go with us. We all stayed in hotel which I think Nolan liked, the dogs not so much. Nolan went to his first Mass with Grandma and I on Christmas morning. He only made when one peep when his Hot Wheel fell under the pew in front of us. He was amazed at all of the Jesus' in one spot! We got to use the pool at the hotel which Nolan called, "The beach with the horse." We're not sure where he got that from, but after being there he called it the blue rectangle. He's so literal, we can't get over it. Everything is accurately described with a color and shape. We left on Sunday and headed back home. We were sad to leave. There something special about Christmas at home.
Before we recovered from Christmas, it was time to head to Grandma and Grandpa D's house to celebrate with them and the family. Nolan was in heaven as Grandma has a huge play house that we couldn't peel Nolan away from. Nolan was spoiled by his grandparents...again...and we got to enjoy the day with the family.
The first week of January brought a lot of great news. Nolan had all of his follow up appointments. His physiatrist has graduated him from appointments every 8 weeks to every 16 weeks. His ophthalmologist moved him from every 6 weeks to every 6 months. His neurologist had already moved him from every quarter to once a year.
Then today, we found out that Nolan was accepted into a special pre-school at his rehab clinic for speech-impaired children. The biggest blessing is that we received a scholarship for the majority of tuition. We feel so blessed that he will have this opportunity. His therapist believes that if he can go for three semesters that he can go to mainstream kindergarten and not need services.
Gosh, where did we leave off...
We had a great Thanksgiving home alone. We like it that way for the most part. We had our now traditional dinner at Maggiano's. Then, we spent the weekend preparing the house for Christmas. Jeff did our wonderful outdoor light display. And Nolan was so excited to see sleeping Baby Jesus on our planter.
Nolan started therapy in December and that has certainly kept Jeff and him busy during the week. Jeff is able to take him to his appointments in the morning, spend time together, then head off to work and daycare. Nolan's therapists are just wonderful to him and us. I really think it helps when there is a good trust established between patient and provider. Nolan seems to be adapting well to his new schedule and Jeff is doing a great job coordinating everything.
Jeff started a new job in December working part-time for now, hopefully full-time soon. He is home with Nolan and I on Monday and Tuesday nights now and we love it! I love eating dinner as a family.
Christmas was so wonderful this year. We went to Houghton Lake on Christmas Eve to spend time with my family. Nolan was immediately drawn into my old Fisher Price Little People house, school, hospital, etc. We couldn't peel him away from them. The dogs got to go with us. We all stayed in hotel which I think Nolan liked, the dogs not so much. Nolan went to his first Mass with Grandma and I on Christmas morning. He only made when one peep when his Hot Wheel fell under the pew in front of us. He was amazed at all of the Jesus' in one spot! We got to use the pool at the hotel which Nolan called, "The beach with the horse." We're not sure where he got that from, but after being there he called it the blue rectangle. He's so literal, we can't get over it. Everything is accurately described with a color and shape. We left on Sunday and headed back home. We were sad to leave. There something special about Christmas at home.
Before we recovered from Christmas, it was time to head to Grandma and Grandpa D's house to celebrate with them and the family. Nolan was in heaven as Grandma has a huge play house that we couldn't peel Nolan away from. Nolan was spoiled by his grandparents...again...and we got to enjoy the day with the family.
The first week of January brought a lot of great news. Nolan had all of his follow up appointments. His physiatrist has graduated him from appointments every 8 weeks to every 16 weeks. His ophthalmologist moved him from every 6 weeks to every 6 months. His neurologist had already moved him from every quarter to once a year.
Then today, we found out that Nolan was accepted into a special pre-school at his rehab clinic for speech-impaired children. The biggest blessing is that we received a scholarship for the majority of tuition. We feel so blessed that he will have this opportunity. His therapist believes that if he can go for three semesters that he can go to mainstream kindergarten and not need services.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Fall is Here!
Fall has been so much fun for us. Nolan went on a field trip to the fire station with his school. Jeff went with his class. They got to tour the station and sit inside the fire truck. He also joined them on a trip to Blake's Apple Orchard. Nolan had fun riding the "train", picking his own pumpkin, picking his own apples and playing with his friends. We had many Halloween celebrations. First, we went with the Wyckoffs to Greenfield Village. Nolan just wanted to walk like usual. He wasn't real interested in collecting candy. It was decorated really nicely and the boys had fun. Nolan dressed up and trick or treated at therapy, then came to visit mommy at work. The next day, he had a Halloween party at school and then went to the potluck at Jeff's office. On Saturday, we went to the Zoo Boo. Again, Nolan was mostly interested in walking, not collecting candy so much. He dressed as a Detroit Tiger. Surprise, surprise.
Earlier that day, Jeff had his championship game for the flag football team he coaches. When we got to the field, Nolan ran a half mile around the track without stopping! This is the kid that we weren't sure if he'd ever walk. I just couldn't believe it. He was so happy running. I was for sure he would tire, but he didn't. I made him stop after a half mile.
For November, we have been focusing on preparing the house to put it on the market. We thought it was in decent shape, but many things go unnoticed until you really evaluate.
Nolan continues to go to gymnastics. He likes it for the most part. He does prefer to do his own thing; however, lately he has been following the coach and the group. His favorite is the trampoline for sure. At his last physiatry appointment, the doctor noticed a remarkable difference in his trunk strength. The only thing we can attribute to is gymnastics. Gymnastics has had a two-fold purpose for us and it seems to be serving Nolan well.
Nolan has been out of therapy for three months and will return at the beginning of December three days a week, one day of OT and two days of PT. He will continue his ST at his old clinic to make it four days. We hope to have him graduated by Spring when his SLT has her baby. Our goal is for him to start preschool at the therapy clinic for three semesters to fully prepare him for either mainstream preschool or go straight to kindergarten.
We are looking forward to being home for Thanksgiving. We will have to finish up the house and hopefully get the pictures taken for the listing. We will probably go to Maggiano's for dinner again.
Nolan's language is growing by the day. The concepts he understands and the words he knows surprise me everyday. He is such a joy to be around and just plain fun. Our newest adventure is learning how to play Memory. Nolan can easily beat me without me letting him. Saturday night, he left the living room and went into his bedroom. We noticed it was very quiet which usually means trouble. I peeked in and he was sitting at his table and had his Memory cards all laid out and was studying them. It was so cute. We continue to try to find things to challenge him daily, which is a challenge for us! I think that after Christmas, we will try phonics and reading/spelling.
Earlier that day, Jeff had his championship game for the flag football team he coaches. When we got to the field, Nolan ran a half mile around the track without stopping! This is the kid that we weren't sure if he'd ever walk. I just couldn't believe it. He was so happy running. I was for sure he would tire, but he didn't. I made him stop after a half mile.
For November, we have been focusing on preparing the house to put it on the market. We thought it was in decent shape, but many things go unnoticed until you really evaluate.
Nolan continues to go to gymnastics. He likes it for the most part. He does prefer to do his own thing; however, lately he has been following the coach and the group. His favorite is the trampoline for sure. At his last physiatry appointment, the doctor noticed a remarkable difference in his trunk strength. The only thing we can attribute to is gymnastics. Gymnastics has had a two-fold purpose for us and it seems to be serving Nolan well.
Nolan has been out of therapy for three months and will return at the beginning of December three days a week, one day of OT and two days of PT. He will continue his ST at his old clinic to make it four days. We hope to have him graduated by Spring when his SLT has her baby. Our goal is for him to start preschool at the therapy clinic for three semesters to fully prepare him for either mainstream preschool or go straight to kindergarten.
We are looking forward to being home for Thanksgiving. We will have to finish up the house and hopefully get the pictures taken for the listing. We will probably go to Maggiano's for dinner again.
Nolan's language is growing by the day. The concepts he understands and the words he knows surprise me everyday. He is such a joy to be around and just plain fun. Our newest adventure is learning how to play Memory. Nolan can easily beat me without me letting him. Saturday night, he left the living room and went into his bedroom. We noticed it was very quiet which usually means trouble. I peeked in and he was sitting at his table and had his Memory cards all laid out and was studying them. It was so cute. We continue to try to find things to challenge him daily, which is a challenge for us! I think that after Christmas, we will try phonics and reading/spelling.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Horribly Neglectful
Gosh, I have been horrible about updating this blog. I didn't intend for it to be that way.
Nolan finished his PT and OT at his current clinic at the end of August. Nolan and Jeff are hanging out now during the day and getting a little, much deserved break together.
Nolan continues to go to his daycare for three hours a day. At the beginning of September, they moved him to the next class. At 27 months, they moved him into a classroom with 30 - 42 month olds. I was very nervous about this move as Nolan wasn't even old enough, yet alone the developmental concerns. They assured me that Nolan would do great and he has. His verbal skills went through the roof. The teacher reassured me last week that Nolan fits in perfectly with his peers which is such a relief to me. He gets to do a lot of fun art projects, go on field trips, play outside with his friends and learn how to socially adapt. This situation has turned out better than I expected.
September 25 was our ten year anniversary! We spent the weekend in Manistee at the second home of a friend of my sister's. We had fun just hanging out and relaxing. Nolan had a great time running along the beach and playing on the playground. He loves a good see-saw. And of course, his cars came for the ride, along with Buggie, Snake and Ninny. Our backseat was filled with his favorites. Jeff bought me a gorgeous diamond wedding band and I bought him Tigers playoff tickets...which we didn't get to use. :o(
Nolan started gymnastics a few weeks ago. We go with our friends Cindy and Cole. Nolan loves having a buddy there. He is getting better physically by the week. I can see the difference it is making. We only have three weeks left, but we will continue into the next session. His favorite activity is a long trampoline. We practice a lot at home, too. I think that I have seen more improvement from 4 weeks of gymnastics than the last 90 days of therapy.
Today was Nolan's evaluation for his new PT clinic and I can't be more excited about the possibilities. Kevin was able to recognize Nolan's past hard work and develop a plan for the next year. I am so proud of Nolan. No one works harder than him. He was down to his diaper showing Kevin all his best moves. Ha, ha, ha. Kevin is a two time spinal cord injury victim who can walk. He is such an inspiration and I feel confident he will really help Nolan. Kevin will be a strong figure for Nolan as well. He's got a great plan and I can't wait to get started. I have all the confidence in him and in Nolan! Kevin joked today that Nolan won't be a soccer player, but a football player. I tend to agree. He says he is built for it. I tend to agree with that, too. :o) Nolan and Kevin got along great, but I know that he will challenge Nolan to be his personal best. Who better to learn from than someone who has been there before?
Well, we have a full October. Jeff is coaching the Lions for City Mission football this year. We look forward to Halloween as this is Jeff's first Halloween with Nolan. Nolan will be dressed as what else??? A Detroit Tiger!
Nolan finished his PT and OT at his current clinic at the end of August. Nolan and Jeff are hanging out now during the day and getting a little, much deserved break together.
Nolan continues to go to his daycare for three hours a day. At the beginning of September, they moved him to the next class. At 27 months, they moved him into a classroom with 30 - 42 month olds. I was very nervous about this move as Nolan wasn't even old enough, yet alone the developmental concerns. They assured me that Nolan would do great and he has. His verbal skills went through the roof. The teacher reassured me last week that Nolan fits in perfectly with his peers which is such a relief to me. He gets to do a lot of fun art projects, go on field trips, play outside with his friends and learn how to socially adapt. This situation has turned out better than I expected.
September 25 was our ten year anniversary! We spent the weekend in Manistee at the second home of a friend of my sister's. We had fun just hanging out and relaxing. Nolan had a great time running along the beach and playing on the playground. He loves a good see-saw. And of course, his cars came for the ride, along with Buggie, Snake and Ninny. Our backseat was filled with his favorites. Jeff bought me a gorgeous diamond wedding band and I bought him Tigers playoff tickets...which we didn't get to use. :o(
Nolan started gymnastics a few weeks ago. We go with our friends Cindy and Cole. Nolan loves having a buddy there. He is getting better physically by the week. I can see the difference it is making. We only have three weeks left, but we will continue into the next session. His favorite activity is a long trampoline. We practice a lot at home, too. I think that I have seen more improvement from 4 weeks of gymnastics than the last 90 days of therapy.
Today was Nolan's evaluation for his new PT clinic and I can't be more excited about the possibilities. Kevin was able to recognize Nolan's past hard work and develop a plan for the next year. I am so proud of Nolan. No one works harder than him. He was down to his diaper showing Kevin all his best moves. Ha, ha, ha. Kevin is a two time spinal cord injury victim who can walk. He is such an inspiration and I feel confident he will really help Nolan. Kevin will be a strong figure for Nolan as well. He's got a great plan and I can't wait to get started. I have all the confidence in him and in Nolan! Kevin joked today that Nolan won't be a soccer player, but a football player. I tend to agree. He says he is built for it. I tend to agree with that, too. :o) Nolan and Kevin got along great, but I know that he will challenge Nolan to be his personal best. Who better to learn from than someone who has been there before?
Well, we have a full October. Jeff is coaching the Lions for City Mission football this year. We look forward to Halloween as this is Jeff's first Halloween with Nolan. Nolan will be dressed as what else??? A Detroit Tiger!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tonight while I was watering my plants, I saw a flock of geese heading north? North? Summer's almost over!
Nolan continues to have appointments with his ophthalmologist to track his progress since his eye surgery. Nothing but good news every time thank God. We are supposed to be patching his good eye still to hopefully train his eye that was operated on; however, we are not successful. I refuse to hold down my son and wrestle him at this point. The doctor believes that Nolan's surgery was a success and will be worth it eventhough we aren't patching. He really doesn't believe at this point that it will affect the results dramatically.
Nolan had his teeth cleaned again. This time not so good. He continues to be cavity free but he was sweating through his shirt by the time we were done by three of us holding him down. How the doctor did not poke his tongue, I do not even know. We are going to wait another year before attempting this feat again.
We have had lots of company lately and it's been a lot of fun. We had the Weatherly's and the Wyckoff's over for a UFC party. Lots of people, little house. The kids had fun...I think and were all asleep by 11 p.m. I am amazed that Dominic and Donovan slept at our house the first time they came over.
Aunt Melissa came to watch Nolan so that Jeff and I could take Derek and his girlfriend Lauren to the Tigers game. It was 94 degrees and I thought I was going to fry to death. It was "ot in icky" as Nolan would say. I somehow survived although the Kid Rock beer didn't help. :)
Last weekend, Grandma Pietchak, Aunt Melissa, cousin Derek, Great Aunt Mary and Great Aunt Georgia came over for what I call an indoor picnic. Derek and Jeff went to the Lions game followed by the Tigers game while the girls stayed home and visited. It was the first time Aunt Mary met Nolan and visited our house. What a special treat. They all showered Nolan with beautiful gifts which he didn't seem to mind. He loves his Hot Wheels.
Nolan's language is developing at record speed (as far as I am concerned). He is reciting his colors, shapes, letters, numbers and animals. His gets especially proud when it is nighttime and he doesn't want to go to bed so he tries to speak very clearly and use big words like rectangle to impress me. Although I am so proud of him, he still needs his rest.
Tonight was his first night in his big boy bed. We decided it was time to get him a new bed. We haven't had time to go and buy his twin bed yet, but we had a toddler bed in the basement that my old boss Liz gave me. I brought it up, cleaned it off and put it in his room. He wouldn't leave! I kept asking him if he wanted to play in the living room and he said, "NO!" He did really well tonight getting in and staying in. He got out once to pick up the car he dropped, that's it. He's now peacefully sleeping like a big boy.
Off I go, Project Runway starts tonight!
Nolan continues to have appointments with his ophthalmologist to track his progress since his eye surgery. Nothing but good news every time thank God. We are supposed to be patching his good eye still to hopefully train his eye that was operated on; however, we are not successful. I refuse to hold down my son and wrestle him at this point. The doctor believes that Nolan's surgery was a success and will be worth it eventhough we aren't patching. He really doesn't believe at this point that it will affect the results dramatically.
Nolan had his teeth cleaned again. This time not so good. He continues to be cavity free but he was sweating through his shirt by the time we were done by three of us holding him down. How the doctor did not poke his tongue, I do not even know. We are going to wait another year before attempting this feat again.
We have had lots of company lately and it's been a lot of fun. We had the Weatherly's and the Wyckoff's over for a UFC party. Lots of people, little house. The kids had fun...I think and were all asleep by 11 p.m. I am amazed that Dominic and Donovan slept at our house the first time they came over.
Aunt Melissa came to watch Nolan so that Jeff and I could take Derek and his girlfriend Lauren to the Tigers game. It was 94 degrees and I thought I was going to fry to death. It was "ot in icky" as Nolan would say. I somehow survived although the Kid Rock beer didn't help. :)
Last weekend, Grandma Pietchak, Aunt Melissa, cousin Derek, Great Aunt Mary and Great Aunt Georgia came over for what I call an indoor picnic. Derek and Jeff went to the Lions game followed by the Tigers game while the girls stayed home and visited. It was the first time Aunt Mary met Nolan and visited our house. What a special treat. They all showered Nolan with beautiful gifts which he didn't seem to mind. He loves his Hot Wheels.
Nolan's language is developing at record speed (as far as I am concerned). He is reciting his colors, shapes, letters, numbers and animals. His gets especially proud when it is nighttime and he doesn't want to go to bed so he tries to speak very clearly and use big words like rectangle to impress me. Although I am so proud of him, he still needs his rest.
Tonight was his first night in his big boy bed. We decided it was time to get him a new bed. We haven't had time to go and buy his twin bed yet, but we had a toddler bed in the basement that my old boss Liz gave me. I brought it up, cleaned it off and put it in his room. He wouldn't leave! I kept asking him if he wanted to play in the living room and he said, "NO!" He did really well tonight getting in and staying in. He got out once to pick up the car he dropped, that's it. He's now peacefully sleeping like a big boy.
Off I go, Project Runway starts tonight!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Summer's Flying By!
I just can't seem to keep up with this blog.
We had a great Father's Day weekend. On Saturday, I got to go to Archiver's and scrapbook. I met a friend from work and we had so much fun. And, I got to sneak in some shopping at Kohl's because they close late. On Sunday, Jeff went to the game early and I waited while Nolan napped. I headed to the game and could not find a parking spot. I drove around forever. We finally got there during the sixth inning. We were able to catch the last few innings and most importantly, Nolan got to run the bases. We carried down and around the field and he got to walk out onto the field around the warning track to first base. He was thrilled and did so well. He stopped at second base to point at Paws and then headed to third. He made it home without any issues. Jeff picked him up and he started screaming. He wanted to do this on his own. He walked up all of the stairs. He was so proud of himself and we were so proud of him. We went home and had wings for dinner and an ice cream cake. It was an awesome weekend.
You will see in the pictures that I have posted that Nolan got a new gym for the backyard and loves it. We had friends over and the boys had a blast.
We spent the Fourth at the Domrase's. Jenny and Katherine were in town from Appleton, Wisconsin and we were so excited to see them. The kids had a great time, but Nolan was extremely tired after the day.
Saturday, the 11th, we headed to Alabama. We stopped in Nashville for the night. We really liked it there. Sunday morning we headed to Alabama. We stayed at a beautiful resort in Florence and had a wonderful time. Nolan had a great time running around and swimming in the pool. Nolan did great sleeping in the hotel and we didn't mind the extra sleep. We headed home on Wednesday.
Thursday was back to the grind of therapy and appointments. Nolan got new orthotics, but hasn't been able to wear them since they are giving his feet problems.
Friday my sister came for the weekend. She watched Nolan so that Jeff and I could go out on a much needed date and alone time. We had a hard time without Nolan, but we had fun.
Monday morning was Nolan's eye surgery. He did great and is healing well at home. We go back Thursday for his follow up to see how he's doing.
Check out all of the new photos and videos.
We had a great Father's Day weekend. On Saturday, I got to go to Archiver's and scrapbook. I met a friend from work and we had so much fun. And, I got to sneak in some shopping at Kohl's because they close late. On Sunday, Jeff went to the game early and I waited while Nolan napped. I headed to the game and could not find a parking spot. I drove around forever. We finally got there during the sixth inning. We were able to catch the last few innings and most importantly, Nolan got to run the bases. We carried down and around the field and he got to walk out onto the field around the warning track to first base. He was thrilled and did so well. He stopped at second base to point at Paws and then headed to third. He made it home without any issues. Jeff picked him up and he started screaming. He wanted to do this on his own. He walked up all of the stairs. He was so proud of himself and we were so proud of him. We went home and had wings for dinner and an ice cream cake. It was an awesome weekend.
You will see in the pictures that I have posted that Nolan got a new gym for the backyard and loves it. We had friends over and the boys had a blast.
We spent the Fourth at the Domrase's. Jenny and Katherine were in town from Appleton, Wisconsin and we were so excited to see them. The kids had a great time, but Nolan was extremely tired after the day.
Saturday, the 11th, we headed to Alabama. We stopped in Nashville for the night. We really liked it there. Sunday morning we headed to Alabama. We stayed at a beautiful resort in Florence and had a wonderful time. Nolan had a great time running around and swimming in the pool. Nolan did great sleeping in the hotel and we didn't mind the extra sleep. We headed home on Wednesday.
Thursday was back to the grind of therapy and appointments. Nolan got new orthotics, but hasn't been able to wear them since they are giving his feet problems.
Friday my sister came for the weekend. She watched Nolan so that Jeff and I could go out on a much needed date and alone time. We had a hard time without Nolan, but we had fun.
Monday morning was Nolan's eye surgery. He did great and is healing well at home. We go back Thursday for his follow up to see how he's doing.
Check out all of the new photos and videos.
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