Good thing Ed is good to me...

Hm, there's stress relief in marriage?  I wonder who wrote this article?  Ha!  No, really having a partner in life is good for me and it's even better that it's Ed.  He believes me when I say I hurt and he does things for me when I break down and ask him to.  I suppose if I asked for help more often it would be better, but that's something I have a problem doing, even with my own husband.

Husband.  Do you think it's weird that after 8+ years together it's still strange to me that I'm married, that I wake up in bed next to someone?  I said I'd never get married, being the playa that I was and all that.  Ha - like ugly girls can be playa's.  Well, I did have big jubblies so that right there made me popular.

Sorry, kind of off the topic there huh?  Anyway, I think the article did get one thing right and that is that it has to be a "well-adjusted" marriage - which I think means a good marriage.  When we have issues (oh c'mon everyone does) in our marriage I do not feel good physically.  RA and stress are not friends, they piss each other off I suppose. 

A new study has revealed that strong marriages for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-a painful and debilitating condition-is associated with experiencing less pain and enjoying better functioning and quality of life.

Researchers conducted a multi-centre study involving 255 patients and examined the relationships of marital status and marital adjustment to pain and physical disability in RA patients.

They reported that among married subjects, better martial adjustment was associated with less psychological disability and marginally less pain.

The findings have suggested that being married may have benefits for health status, provided the marriage is well adjusted or, at least, not distressed. 

A key implication of the study is that using marital status as an indicator of social support for RA patients might not be inadequate, and clinicians must consider the level of adjustment or distress in the relationship when determining the degree and benefit of social support from the spouse. 

The study was published in The Journal of Pain. (ANI)

http://sify.com/news/strong-marriages-can-reduce-rheumatoid-arthritis-patients-pain-news-international-kk1sOihbaei.html


But I do reserve the right to take back this atta boy for Ed because some days he is even harder to take care of than G.  Although Ed is toilet trained so he's got that going for him.

I needed that!

I love sleep.

I went to bed at about midnight last night and for some reason G was up at 5:30 am this morning, playing and everything.  I went into his room, shut off the light and took away the toys and laid down with him.  That resulted in 2.5 hours of him punching me, kicking me, rolling over onto me, etc. all while he was sound asleep again.  We cuddle so well together but once we're both asleep it turns into WWF in the bed.  He decided he was awake for the day just before 8 am so we got up.  I realized that Ed didn't get up and go hunting this morning and soon after that Ed got out of bed.  I said, "I need more sleep is that okay?"  He told me to go back to bed so I did.  Until 11:30 this morning.  Apparently I needed more sleep than I knew!  Whew!

Here's a picture from when G and I were playing in his room before bedtime last night.  I love that he chooses me to play with lately!

Tuesdays 10 - but on Wednesday, my bad.

1. What is your favorite decor item in your house?
I love all of our pictures and I wish I could hang up more of them but I it looks cluttered enough already.  Otherwise I like some of the old stuff that Linda gave me - such as the milk can, Grandpa's old lunchbox, etc.  I love that I still have my huge green chair, that thing has moved almost everywhere with me!  I love our big sectional couch too but I'd love it even more if I didn't have to keep the cushions covered with blankets so that G can't stain it.   


2. What is your favorite hair product?
I love a good, cleansing shampoo such as Biolage.  But I'm going to say bandanas because they make it so that I don't actually have to do my hair.

3. Are you a good dancer?
Hell...no.  I am like that idiot standing there snapping her fingers and clapping her hands.  No really, I am sure that people have assumed me mentally deficient based solely on my dancing skills (or lack thereof).

4. You get some good news, who’s the first person you call?
It always used to be my mom and dad.  I wish I could phone Heaven so I can keep talking to my Dad.  But if the good news is that Obama was impeached I'd call any and every single person I know to share my excitement. 

5. Would you rather take pictures, or be in pictures?
TAKE them!  I love taking pictures but I hate pictures of myself - 'cause I'm a fugly ducking.

6. What is your shoe style?
8.5 or 9, depending on the brand. 

7. How often do you eat out?
Now it's very rare since we basically have nowhere to eat out.  Well, in the 17 months we've lived here I've eaten at the Lochsa Lodge three times.  We tend to schedule our trips into town for groceries to accommodate having a meal out if we've got the extra money.  I don't miss eating out very much though because now it tends to make me sick since it's so rich and heavy.

8. If someone has food in their teeth, do you tell them?
Yes.  But mostly because I would want someone to tell me!  Unless it's someone I don't like and then I'm just going to leave them hanging to look stupid.  Consider it my own little payback.

9. Do you fold your underwear?
I do.  The way my Aunt Kathy showed me how to do it.  It drives Ed crazy that I do it though.  I don't fold G's though, I just lay them flat and make a stack out of them.  But that's because we're potty learning and most days he ends up having to get out a new, clean pair!

10. Milk, dark, or white chocolate?
Oh, it depends.  Mostly dark chocolate when we're talking about candy.  But milk chocolate for cookies and such.  And white chocolate, well that's just not natural.

Momma & G fun day!

We started off our day by deciding to make cookies.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to make cookies with a kid who believes that he should stick his finger in every substance within reach?  Easily his favorite part of the process was running the blender (even though it made him jump every time and I was a nervous wreck waiting for him to stick his finger in it quicker than I could catch him) and eating the chocolate chips.  That was the first time he'd seen chocolate chips out of a bag and he thought they were great. 

After nap time we started on a craft for Aunty Sarah but I can't say anything else about it since she reads this blog.  She requested that G make her something cool.  While we were sitting at his little table in the living room I kept smelling ass and I kept saying, "Do you need to poop?"  He kept telling me no but it started to get nasty.  That's when I finally noticed Crash sleeping under G's feet.  That dog has some raunchy farts!!!  G LOVES to paint - so much so that we're almost out of both paints and paper and two of his brushes have about bit it.  Thankfully I stole a bunch of those single ended long q-tips from the doctor's office and we'll move to those when the paintbrushes finally do die. 

Since I figured Dada wouldn't be home until later since he went in late (well, 8:30 - late for him) G and I went ahead and made ourselves dinner.  We made tuna fish and pickle sandwiches (a first for G) and we had some Cheetos and Doritos plus G got some of his favorite - Sunny D!  I made him leave the TV off and we turned on the radio instead and we sat together at the dinner table.  G was astounded to not be contained in his high chair and he did alright but wow he's a wiggle worm boy!  :)  It was nice to dine so closely with my monkey boy but it made me sad to see him sitting at the table like a regular person, drinking from an open cup, etc.  He's growing up too, too fast.

Dada gave me a break for a little while after he got home from work and I took the time to get to talk to my Aunt Linda.  Poor Granny Broden is having her bad leg amputated.  That poor, sweet, tough old bird.  I have such a conflict in my heart because I want to go see her and stay with her and let her know how much I love her, etc. but G is such a busy dude that no one can "rest" around him and the last thing she needs is Dr. Destructo in her hospital room.  And it's not like I can really sit and talk to/with her since G doesn't understand the whole "chill out" thing.  I'll figure something out though.

Our first snow for the winter 2010 season!!!

For some strange reason I was wide awake at 6 am.  That is very unlike me but Ed was pleasantly surprised to have my company for a little while before he went to work.  I'm glad I got up early because I got to watch the snow fall as the sun was coming up.  I drank a big mug of hot tea and chatted with my husband, watching The Today Show instead of cartoons (well until G woke up and then it went to PBS of course).  Here are a few pictures after I edited them and added a little light and extra color. 

Crash got his first exposure to snow!  He ran around like a crazy man, seemingly having to talk himself into dropping trou to poop.  I went into G's room and opened the curtains and blinds and said, "Look outside Bubby - what's that?"  He wiped the sleep from his eyes and said, "Oh, snow - dat's brr cowd!"

CDC's Halloween Party

I love this boy.  He amazes me and pushes me to be a better person every day. 

(what we saw on our way into town  today!)

G and I went into town to the CDC Halloween party.  Let me start this off by saying this is kind of a big step for me because I've hermited myself somewhat but I know that I have to stop doing that (hey, it's comfortable and I love my little life in the woods) for G's sake more than anything else.  I need to get him around people more since he is such an outgoing and loving child.  Let me also say that the CDC building in Missoula is WAY too small for an event like this.  There was a crapton of people and kids in there and I only lasted about an hour before deciding we were leaving, even though the event was two hours long.

I brought G's monkey costume and Thomas costume and dressed him in the parking lot.  I let him pick which one he wanted and he said Thomas so I put Thomas on him and he acted like he was being strangled by a giant snake - talk about freak out.  So I put the monkey costume on him and he started giggling and making monkey noises.  Winner! 

(G checking to make sure he had packed all his equipment)

So inside we went where we started off with trick or treating which consisted of a CDC worker in his/her office doorway, dressed up, handing out candy.  It was a line down the hallway on one side and a line back up the hallway.  Woo.frickin'.who!  But G liked it.  He was all smiles and he would reach out to other kids to touch their costumes or say hi.  He didn't say trick or treat or hi or even thank you to any adults - for him it was all about the other kids. 

We were herded into another room where there were refreshments.  Refreshments = sugar, sugar and more sugar.  Good Lord, what are they thinking passing out cookies, cake, punch, etc. to kids who visit the CDC, many of whom are special needs...and at 6-8pm at night?  G is not even remotely "special needs" (in fact they rate him as gifted) but his speech is delayed (mostly because of a lack of access to peers), that's why we're working with a speech pathologist.  I am happy that we have activities like this for him to socialize with other kids, that's the other reason I'm glad we're working with the CDC.  Anywho, off of my justification box, I did my best to keep G out of the crap they were serving and he got to play with a little boy named Sequoia (seriously people?) who was dressed up as Spiderman.  Sequoia wasn't so much interested in playing with G as he was in what G had in his trick or treat bucket...and he helped himself to all sorts of stuff until I put the kabosh on that since apparently his mother condones thievery.  The funny part is, G was giving him all sorts of stuff out of his little bucket - he was sharing without being prompted, he was sharing to make a friend.  It was the sweetest thing...and all Sequoia (or the three other kids that came to pilfer G's bucket) was interested in was making off with some loot.

(G getting a Thomas painted on his hand, after she put freckles on him per my request.  I'd like to know what they used though because I scrubbed his little cheeks in the shower and it wouldn't come off!  I can't believe how well he sat for the hand painting!!!)

Then we were herded into another room where they had a pinata set up for the kids.  I thought that was great since G has been exposed to the pinata thing at Christmas Eve at the Broden house.  That boy knew what he was doing!  The sad part is that he didn't get a single piece of candy from the dang pinata because it was horrific in there.  The kids were all on the outskirts of whoever had the bat and as soon as even one single piece of candy fell out, 20 kids were running in to grab it and it was all the older kids.  Seriously, it reminded me of how scorpions rush in on a dead thing.  Only one parent (other than me) complained about that but she only complained when it was her daughter who didn't get any candy during her swing, even though she knocked some candy out.  I even saw some parents pushing their kids to grab the candy or grabbing the candy themselves.  Really???  There were kids walking around with buckets overflowing with candy and G's was only 1/5 filled.  One highlight was a little boy about 4 or 5 who had grabbed two pieces of candy and when he saw that G didn't get any he gave a piece to G. 

(Hey listen, monkey's have to drop a deuce every now and then too!)

What disappointed me was the parents.  I'm not going to lower myself to their level, I'm going to teach my child that he doesn't NEED candy to have a good time and that while competition can be healthy, fairness is even more healthy.  For pete's sake there were children in wheelchairs and G was handing them stuff from his bucket - all of those able bodied children should have been doing the same thing with the candy from the pinata and they should be thankful that they can get down on the floor and pick it up.  I guess that's one of the many lessons I got from my Dad without him ever actually teaching it to me. 

Anyway, G started to throw a fit because I wouldn't let him go wherever he wanted to and do whatever he wanted so I was carrying him and I got tired of him screaming right into my ear and making my prothesis vibrate so between that and the sweat rolling down my back, I called it a night.  G was a happy little clam all the way home and he played with some of the new things he got - such as the plastic spider that took a bath with him, the Dracula popping thingy that he tormented Crash with, or the spiderweb pencil that he kept asking me to sharpen so he could color.  Yeah right, dude.  I'm glad we went and it makes me think I might just be able to do the Halloween at the mall thing next Sunday.  But I'm not committing to that just yet...

(G with his ghetto fabulous dollar store bucket.  Yes, I bought a $1 bucket from the dollar store, then I spent another $1 on foam stickers and stuck them all over it.  Mock me if you must).

Ready, set...

...GO!

That's G's favorite new game!  Nana taught him.  Here we are playing it the other day, after pilfering cones from ITD of course...

I wish I had this boys energy!  I see a little bit of running back in his future?  Or track maybe?  Or speed skating!  Oh, yeah, that'd be cool.  Hell, I'd just settle for kindhearted, loving, responsible and hard working and his happiness too of course :)

Playing with my son

G and I worked on two crafts this afternoon, since he was such a good boy and let me get some work done in the office.  We made a turkey out of paper plates and we made a paper bag monster.  And by we I actually pretty much mean me, but sometimes he contributed.  He also colored his own sippy cup - a cheapy little cheesy thing that he got a big kick out of.

Later, after dinner, I was trying to get some work done but he wanted mommy and not daddy, so I threw work aside to hang out with my Boof.  We played cars and trains on the road rug in his room (I love that I can lay on the floor with him and all we do is make sounds) and then he got out a flashlight and he was shining it on his cars so I told him to shut off his lamp and we played cars with the flashlights in his room, then we went hunting for a daddy in the living room, then we went to see what we could find in the laundry room and then we poked around in the garage with our flashlights, deciding to play ball for a few minutes until our feet got too cold on that concrete floor!  Who knew something so simple would be so wonderful to a two year old?  Every mom that's ever had a two year old knew that I'd suspect.

He's getting to be great with his imaginative play when just a month ago he wouldn't do it at all.  We were setting up road signs on the rug, trying out different cars on the car hauler trailers, etc. and it was so simple.  We'd run cars into each other and he'd say, "Uh oh, he got ow," or the cars would kiss or they'd chase each other, etc.  He even took his little matchbox plane and flew it around, making plane noises that I didn't even know he knew!  It used to be kind of a challenge to "play" with him because he only wanted to play his way and I was only "allowed" to play when he let me.  I'm glad that's changing but it doesn't help assuage my hearts fear that he would love having a sibling that I can't provide him.

Ed took over and is doing bedtime right now, as I take a quick break from all the work I have to do to type this!  I am trying to get it all done by tomorrow night so that G and I can go into town on Monday and attend the CDC Halloween party.  I think he would absolutely adore an activity like that and I won't have to worry about him too much because I'll bet he's not the "weird" kid there.  Ha!  I'm cruel aren't I?

 Watching the rain :)

Thank you F-150

Ed traded off the F-150 for a F-250.  It's a good thing - bigger engine = easier towing of the camp trailer.  It was a tad bittersweet for me since we brought G home in the F-150 - I remember the only "nesting" I did before G was born was detailing the hell out of that truck before he was born so he could have a clean ride to come home in.  Ha, if only I knew what a mess he'd create in it as he grew!  I remember buying that truck and then the next day going on a camping trip to Yellowstone with Robert, Robbie and Brianna. 

The F-150 was a King Ranch edition, 2006 with 39,000ish miles on it, a canopy, and electric mirrors.  We traded it for a 2006 F-250 Power Stroke diesel King Ranch edition with 23,500 miles on it, a grill guard and telescoping mirrors.  Yeah - a five year old ride with 23,500 miles - rock.on!  The best part, to me, is the fact that our truck payment dropped by about $200 a month.  So same year, same trim package, different color, different accessories, less miles, bigger engine and smaller truck payment.

Ed's happy with the truck and I'm happy with the truck payment.  G should be happy we didn't leave him at the boring ass Ford dealership - he was a turd running up and down their stairs!

Old truck:

New Old truck:

To keep G occupied I took him to the play area at the mall, the one with the giant soft train in the center of it.  There were plenty of kids there and G was tickled just at the sight of them all.  He would go up to another kid and say, "I Darrett."  And the kid would look at him like he had two heads and walk away.  None of the other kids would play with him but I didn't feel too horrible just because none of the kids were playing with each other period.  And they were so quiet - solemnly quiet.  I wondered if Big Bird had died or something and we just didn't get the newscast out in nowhereland.  G was giggling and laughing and making all sorts of noises of delight and that just made the other kids look at him more.  :(  It broke my momma heart because I am of the opinion that everyone should fall madly, truly, deeply in love with my boy.

I took my guys to dinner at Pizza Hut after we ran to Walmart.  That's something I sorely miss about living in civilization - home delivery pizza.  It was really good, now that it's a Wing Street Pizza Hut.  I got an order of cheese breadsticks to take home.  Ha!  While I was eating I bit down on something hard and as soon as I did, I knew what it was.  Remember that tooth I was complaining about awhile ago?  Did I complain on here?  Maybe I just complained on Facebook.  Anyway, it's a crowned tooth...but not anymore.  The whole crown came off, including the two posts.  Since there is no dentist that takes our insurance in Missoula - that means a trip to mom's in Coeur d'Alene.

Happy 3 year Blogversary to ME!

I started my blog on 10/21/07 when I found out I was finally pregnant again.  Since we knew we wouldn't be telling anyone until we made it out of the first trimester (thanks to the lost innocence that miscarriage brings) I started this blog in case we had a sticky bean for a change.  And look where we are now - a family of three kickin' ass and takin' names in nowhereland.  Not only was G a sticky bean, he turned into a masterpiece and the truest love of my life.

I am not always good about keeping up on my blog and if you think I'm not so good at this then you should feel sorry for poor G because the boy does not have a baby book other than this.  But there is dang near a picture of him for every day of his life so far.  That'll do Donkey, that'll have to do.

Mmmmm steak!

Ed cut up my deer yesterday.  She has some of the prettiest meat on her and she's going to taste so good!

Here's a pic of Daddy's little helper:

Nana's choo-choo

This is G's most favorite video ever.  My Mom took it with her cell phone on the day we buried my Dad, on her way out of Libby.  G will play it over and over and over if we let him.  Whenever he see's Nana's phone he commandeers it and plays his choo choo video over and over and over again.  I think it makes Nana smile especially!

Ten on Tuesday

1. What’s the one thing you always do when you’re stressed?
I never stop moving.  I just keep going because if I don't I'm likely to fall apart  and that doesn't get anything accomplished.

2. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done for a friend?
Uh, I can't really think of anything?  Maybe once when I picked up a friend's teenage daughter from a sleepover because said daughter couldn't find her parents (they were at the movies) and she had gotten into a fight with the mother of the sleepover house?  That was kind of awkward but not.  

3. What cleaning supply could you not live without?
Bleach, hands down.  I even like the smell of it.  At THIS point in my life though, it'd have to be the Resolve carpet cleaner.  Between Pubby and G potty learning, I might as well have a Resolve dispenser installed in my arm.

4. How long do you plan on living where you currently reside?
If everything goes according to plan we'll be out of here at the end of April, 2015.  Unless we can talk R2 into letting us stay until Ed retires which is like ten months later I believe?  So like February or March 2016.

5. Do you usually vote straight party, a mixture, or not at all?
Definitely a mixture, though this year it's probably going to be straight party.  I have been terrible about voting in elections, period and I'm not going to continue that tradition because look how screwed up things are right now.

6. What’s something that you love to do, but seem to never make time for?

Sex.  Hey - you asked!  Well YOU didn't but the survey did.  It has fallen seriously delinquent with all the stuff that happens in our day to day lives.  I need to reboot that hard drive and get it back online.

But I'll stop being crass and say that it's crafting of some kind.  Just creating something using my own mind and my own hands. 

7. What’s your favorite store to buy things for other people?
The Dollar Store.

Shuddup - I'm cheap like that and you never even knew it came from the dollar store did you? 

This holiday season it's probably going to be the 7-11 because I'll be able lucky to afford to buy y'all a mini bag of Dorito's.
I did do a lot of gifts from Shutterfly last Christmas though.

8. What’s the weather like around you today?
It was gorgeous today!  The sun was out and shining but it was C.O.L.D.!!!  I love days like this, but I'd prefer if the temp was a little bit higher.  G doesn't care though, he just wants to be outside.  I think he's going to be a mailman someday.  You know, "Come rain or snow or sleet or hail..." (or however that goes).

9. What’s the worst book you’ve ever bought and read?
I don't usually buy a book unless I know I love it.  The "What to Expect" books were pretty lame but I didn't know it at the time. 

10. What’s the closest thing to you that is yellow?
I had to really search and it was sitting right in front of me.  A steno book.  Surprised, aren't you?  Hey - I have to write when I'm working!

Oh, yum! Welcome Fall!

Dum, dum, dum, another one bites the dust.  Ed was home before noon, having shot a nice big muley doe.  He says it's smaller than mine but they look to be about the same size.  I know it's not normal for Ed to shoot a doe and not a nice big buck but I asked him to just bring me home some meat this year!  You can't eat the horns anyway, right?

I put a pot of beans to soak last night with the intent of making ham and bean soup today.  Holy crap did my house smell good today!  Between the dough for dinner rolls and the soup, plus an experiment gone wrong (pumpkin banana bread) I kept leaving the house so I could come back in and smell it all over again.  And it tasted even better than it smelled.  I'm totally giving myself a pat on the back for that dinner.

I need to find some more soup recipes - this is the second time I've made soup and the second time it's been a big hit.

Look at me being all Betty Crocker and shit.

I kind of just eyeballed it for the most part. I made it in my 6qt crock pot.

1 ham hock
1/2 of a ham, cubed
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 package of pinto beans (washed sorted and soaked overnight)
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
11 cups of water
salt and pepper to taste (I didn't need to add any salt)

I soaked the beans overnight and then threw it all in the crockpot and cooked it on high for about 6 hours until the beans were soft. I put a little flour water in to thicken it up.

Awesome Ed

He came home from hunting, told me I didn't look so good and to go take a nap.  He let me nap for two hours, woke me up to a spaghetti dinner and later gave G his bath. He baked cookies and played, "hut, hut, hike" (G's version of football) with G in the living room while I get some work done.  Then he put G to bed tonight too.  

Considering he was up at 4:30 this morning and put in a long hike today looking for his elk, I'm surprised that not only did he last so long, but he did it cheerfully.  Well except for when he yelled at G who had climbed into the kitchen sink and has discovered the spray hose on the faucet.  He soaked the cupboards, countertop, stove, sheet of cookies, can opener and Ed's new coffee pot.  Nothing a kitchen towel didn't wipe up!


I sure appreciated not having to ask him to "help."  It's nice to know that he can see when I'm struggling and wants to make things easier for me!

Stealing from Kelly's blog...

*Betcha didn't know that I'm still reading your blog did you Kelly?  I love that you're a crazy, witty and creative gal.  I'm feeling like none of these things so it's survey time.*

1.  What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone?  

I put G to bed starting at about 8:30.  I was in my own bed by 9:15.  Ed joined me shortly after that.  I don't remember what time I actually fell asleep but I know I shut my laptop off at about 11 pm.

2.  What was the last movie you watched?  

I hope you don't mean at the movie theatre because, sadly, that was so long ago I hardly remember at all.  I watched Cars (the movie) with G the other night while Nana was sleeping on the couch!

3.  What is your favorite TV show of all time - you've seen them all, can watch it over and over again and quote lines from it?  

Hm, I don't know that there are any I can quote many lines from but Friends and That 70's Show.  Uh, I can sing you the majority of the Charlie Waffles songs from Two and a Half Men.

4. Whats your favorite way to wake up and whats the first thing you do?  

Is going back to sleep an option?  I seriously love to sleep and just like Cold Stone ice cream, I just can't get enough.  I do love hearing G first thing in the morning (because he is my alarm clock) saying, "Momma hewp, hewp!"  The first thing I do is let the dogs out to potty on my way to G's room to free the beast.

5. Whats the worst/most embarrassing CD/Album you've ever owned and do you still have it?

Oh, some Paula Abdul, some Michael Jackson and I know I had that badass Vanilla Ice album.  I know I still have the M.J. but I think the others are long gone, thankfully.  Oh, but you know what I do still have that will make you laugh?  The Chipmunks Christmas album - on record.  Oh yeah, baby.  And I can still sing right along with it.  So there.

6. What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?  

I wanted to be a teacher or a doctor.  I am a teacher - to a little fartheaded boy who has zero intention of learning from me at the moment.  I'll never be a doctor, unless kissing a boo-boo and putting on a band-aid gets me into medical school. 

7. If you were an ice cream/Haagen Daz/Ben and Jerry's flavor what would you be?  

Big Fat Momma would be the name o' my ice cream flavor.  Otherwise, heck if I know - I've never had either of them.

8. When was the last time you cried laughing and why?  

I was reading some blog about the diarrhea song.  I almost pee'd my pants - that's how hard I was laughing.  Oh, the shit I find funny (literal?).     http://diarrheasong.blogspot.com/

9. What did you dream about last night?  

I couldn't tell you.  I've been having some really strange ones lately, though.  Like when I was being a decoy at a park trying to catch a bad guy and when the uniformed officers jumped out to apprehend him, he ran away but when he came around my way I stuck my arm out and clotheslined him and he fell to the ground, hard.  I didn't budge.  Then the uniformed officers thanked me and told me they missed me and wanted me to come back and do type their reports again.


10.  What are you wearing right now?  

A gray polo shirt, obnoxious purple flower capri pj pants from Old Navy, and socks because my toes are COLD!  Gee, no wonder Ed can't keep his hands off me, eh?

Momma's boy

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2014038,00.html

Being a Mama's Boy: Good for Your Health?


"mother support and closeness was the most predictive of boys' ability to resist [hypermasculine] stereotypes"

"humans find life's challenges less daunting when they have close interpersonal relationships."

Now, while I am all for having a close relationship with my G, especially as he grows older, I don't know that this article gives any new information.  It stands to reason that if the child is exposed more to his mother then he won't be as masculine.  I'm surprised this is in Time magazine, I have to admit.  But whatev.  I'd rather have a momma's boy than a psychopath locked up in the looney bin.

Bambi's momma didn't die today

Ed took G out hunting this afternoon so I could get lots of work done.  And I did get a lot done - of the 9 jobs I have in my queue I got 5 of them done!  They went up where I got my deer the other day and the only thing they saw was a big doe but according to Ed she had two little ones with her so he didn't want to shoot her because he knew I wouldn't like that.  Maybe I'm rubbing off on him?!?

A hunting we will go...

Ed and I went back out this morning, leaving G and Nana for part of the day.  We were looking for both an elk and deer for Ed.  I was too dang tired so I wasn't much help to him.  All we saw alllllllllll morning were four little whitetail doe's.  Oy, so frustrating.  We saw one whole grouse and I jumped out and knocked him down before Ed got a chance to.  Poor Ed.  We ran across a group of 3 males walking up the road and we knew where they had parked their truck and knew it was still a few miles away.  We gave the dad of the group a ride back to the truck while his 21 and 22 year old sons sat down and waited for him.  He wanted to decline our offer of a ride but his weinerhead sons said, "Yeah, Dad, go get the truck!"  Ha - that made me laugh!!!

We came home with our one grouse and after a little while Grandma got herself on the road home.  That's a bummer because G was having SO MUCH fun with her here.  He cried when she left - he doesn't cry when I leave!  Grandma's rock.

It was so nice to have her come to visit, even if Ed and I didn't get to spend much time with her.  G got to spend a lot of time with her and that makes me ridiculously happy and smiley!  I wish I could make her understand how much we love her and appreciate her and like to be around her!  I've always known she was the right momma for me and I thank God for that.  But seeing her be a grandma to my son is the cherry on top of the sundae.  It's beautiful to watch them together.

Doe, a deer, a female deer!

She's hanging in the garage right now.  She's going to be so tasty!!!!!!!!!!!

Ed and I left this morning at about 6:30, taking Parachute Hill Road up.  We intended to go to Black Lead Mountain but we took a wrong turn.  It was so cool though because it was new country to both of us! 

We stopped for one big doe on the uphill side of the road but she got away from me.  That's when Ed saw four more doe's on the lower side of the road.  They were all small though so we both took a pass on them.  A few hours later I spotted two white tail doe's but they were also pretty small and they saw us before we saw them so they were gone in the blink of an eye.  Not too much further than that I spotted another good sized muley doe on the upper side of the road.  Ed stopped and we bailed out of the Jeep.  She was about 75 yards up the embankment.  I lost sight of her through the trees and Ed kept telling me, "She's right there - she's looking right at us."  For the life of me I could not see her!!!  I started up the embankment and I came about 35 yards off the road when I spotted her again.  She was just standing there...watching Ed.  She never saw or heard me come up the hill. 

I braced against a tree with my body behind it and drew down on her.  I couldn't see her body because she was behind a little grouping of trees and brush.  All I could see was her head and most of her neck.  I put my sights right in the top center of her neck and pulled the trigger.  She went down, right there, like a ton of bricks.  I was so relieved that it was a good shot, I hate it when it's not.  Ed came up the embankment and we waited a few minutes before approaching her.  My shot was at the forward side of her neck so it severed the carotid artery, broke her neck and blew out her windpipe.  No wonder she was DRT.  Such a beautiful creature. 

That's when we saw how big she was!  She was the same body mass as a nice sized buck, just missing the horns!  I don't hunt for trophies - I hunt for meat.  And considering her size and the shot I made, she will provide well for us!  Ed ran back down to the Jeep and got my camera so he could take my picture.  Then he drug her the 75 yards down to the road and he wanted some more pictures!  Then he dressed her out, taking the time to show me and explain things step by step (again).  I love that he knows that I can't do it and that he doesn't "make" me do it.  We put her in the Jeep and went home.

There is such a power to snuffing the life out of another living, breathing creature.  It's not something to be taken lightly, it's a power that has to be respected.  I am glad that I can feed my family by providing meat in ways like this but I couldn't help but put my hands on her body and tell her I'm sorry, yet thank her and God for the nourishment she'd provide my growing boy's body.

Nana the babysitter!

She came down to watch G for us so we could go hunting tomorrow and Friday. She fell asleep at 6:30 when Ed was rubbing her feet and as I type this she's still sound asleep on the couch in the clothes she came here in. Ha! So I didn't get to tell her any of the important stuff for tomorrow and we're leaving at like 6 am. So I typed up this list real quick and taped it to the TV.


1. G loves apple butter on toast, cold cereal with milk on it (hence the cocoa puffs) or there are a few waffles in the freezer. Half a banana is a big hit too. Or to make it easy on yourself, you can just give him a sippy of warm milk and he's a happy dude. Just make sure he goes to the potty about 20-30 minutes after he finishes drinking anything big and you won't have an issue with the peepee!


2. G didn't really poop much later today so he'll have a big one in the morning. If you don't want to deal with poop pottying or cleaning poopy drawers, feel free to diaper him until he takes his poop (and there might be one right after that too). If you want to potty him, just tell him to poop or use the word, "Blech." He will tell you he's done but he most likely isn't.


3. If you don't want to do potty learning that's just fine with me! If you do and he wets two pairs of unders, there is a package of pull-ups on the back of the toilet. I usually put a pull-up on over a pair of underwear because he does not like the wet underwear feeling! That's what I do at naptime too, by the way. The timer is on the upper left hand side of the entertainment center (as you're facing it). I suggest setting it for 45-50 minutes and then taking him. If you ask him he'll always say no but he'll always go too.


4. Speaking of underwears, there are clean ones in the dryer. There is also a clean belly band in there. There are two more belly bands in the washing machine. There are laundry baskets in my room - just dump whatever is in them on the bed and use them if you'd like.


5. If you don't want to "deal" with the dogs go ahead and just put them in the garage and let them out every once in awhile to potty. The only place in the house that Crash has pee'd is on the corner of a cupboard so if you don't want to belly band him, that's fine.


6. Speaking of the pain in the ass (i.e. Crash), try to keep him away from G's toys and out of his room because he's a toy eater.


7. G loves PB&J so if you want to make him one for lunch he'd be tickled with that. He loves Cheeto's too of course - they're in the cupboard to the left of the fridge. But I am not woried about you knowing how/what to feed him - you're the grandma after all!


8. If we don't get anything earlier in the day don't expect to see us before sundown. I'd say about 7:00 or 7:30 in fact so certainly don't "hold" your dinnertime for us.


9. Cold Pepsi is in the fridge in the garage (thanks to you, of course!). And taco salad leftovers, of course. Yummy I'm jealous of your breakfast!!!


10. Cartoon channels are on 169 thru like 178? PBS is on channel 7 and either 22 or 28 (I can't remember). He likes a lot of the PBS ones like Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid, Cat in the Hat, Sesame Street, etc... Chuggington is on at 11:00, he likes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Jungle Junction as well.


11. To use the DVD player (in case he talks you into a choo-choo DVD or you need a break from him) on the top row of the remote hit the TV button. Then channel up to Input3 (using the up button above that round enter button that stands out). Then to control the DVD player hit the VHS button (you'd think they'd update that stuff, right?) and you have your stop, play, pause, etc. features. To get it back to the regular viewing hit the TV button again, channel back down to whatever it is under Input1 and then you'll have to hit the SAT button to have control of the satellite again.


12. Crayons/markers/paints/chalk, etc... are in the cupboard to your right when you're facing the entertainment center. Feel free to break anything out - he loves that stuff. There is a big red easel in his room that's great for the chalk.


13. If you are putting him in unders, you can still go outside if you'd like - he does great! He even knows how to pee outside but he doesn't choose to do it himself - just whip his drawers down and he'll spray his little fire hose.


14. There is a car seat in my car and one in the truck. Feel free to drive either if you want to (or need to) go somewhere. The keys are hanging to the right of the doorway to the laundry room.


15. Naptime is anytime between 11:30 and 12:30 depending on when he wakes up. He didn't go to bed until about 9:45 pm so he might sleep in some! Try not to let him nap beyond 3:00 pm or he doesn't go to bed until like 10:00 pm! If he's not going down for you, try laying down with him.


16. You don't have to do bathtime if you don't feel like it. I can do it when we get back. He loves taking a shower - I start it for him and turn on the shower head and close the shower door and he's happy as a clam. Or just a regular bath. Getting him out of the shower is a battle.


17. Feel free to use our shower, the towels are in the cupboard in our bathroom. I usually strap G into this high chair (just the waist strap) and give him his breakfast and turn on a cartoon and then I hop into the shower.


18. Ignore the phone - caller i.d. is a beautiful thing!!!


19. Dishes in the dishwasher are clean!


20. Don't be afraid to discipline him! He's been spanked, he gets time out's, don't let him get away with crap - you raised four kids - you know what you're doing!


GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, do I sound a little nervous?  There is only one other time that I've left G with someone else (and in fact it was my mom then too) for more than about 2 hours (when we went to Poky to sign papers for the sale of the house).  I'm sure they'll have fun but without the ability for her to call us or us to call and check in, it's going to be strange!

First impressions are important

Our Family Services Worker is a cutie named Kim.  She came out to the house to meet G this morning.  I like her.  She doesn't agree with most of the assessment on G, specifically his receptive language and cognitive delay.  She does see the speech delay and she see's how that can be remedied.  She left me with a DVD that is for both G and me and it will basically show us the same thing that a speech therapist would.  She gave me a book with a specific chapter marked on how to work on his attention capabilities which is my other concern.

She did want me to know that he has so many skills that are well above his age level that she was impressed with and she said he's a very smart boy and she said she'd call him gifted. 

She gave me some info on a play group date for next week and a flyer on a Halloween gathering they are having.  I don't see why we can't attend at least one of those things and maybe even both! 

Hunting "day" 2

G and I went out with Ed in the afternoon.  I wasn't in a great mood and I wanted out of the house - so why not go kill something to improve my mood, right?  Thankfully for the deer, they must have gotten that memo and they stayed hidden.  I did knock down the only grouse we saw.  Ed also somehow spotted what had to have been one of the biggest moose I've ever seen.  I wish one of us had a moose tag this year!!!!!  But watch, we'll put in for a moose tag next year and then won't see a single moose.  He was so cool - big, bright white paddles!  It was falling into dusk so I didn't get any good pictures of him.

The moon was out before the sun went down so we got to hear, "Da cow, da moon" all the way home.

Ten on Tuesday (10/12/10)

Again, from here: (http://rootsandrings.wordpress.com/about/ten-on-tuesday-topics-and-archives/)

1. What does your work out schedule look like?
What is this work out thing that you speak of?  Oh, physical activity?  Well besides chasing a 2 year old all over the place - and trust me that is a work out and I have the pedometer to prove it - during the summer it's hiking and during the winter it's snowshoeing.  That's about the only "schedule" that I have.

2. What is your favorite machine to use at the gym?
Well, we don't have a gym out here where we live - unless you count trails.  But at a real gym I LURVE the hip adductor/abductor machine.  It burns so good!

3. What is your favorite class to take at the gym?
When I was young and cute and had no other obligations, I loved step class.  Not spinning - that shit is whack.  I would love to try a yoga class someday.

4. Where do you shop for work out gear and clothing?
Currently?  Ed's side of the closet.  That's the benefit to being a fatty mcgoo - I don't want to buy work out clothes in women's size ginormous so I just steal his t-shirts and maybe a pair of boxers.  Otherwise, I shop wherever there is a dang sale.

5. If you can’t go to the gym, do you have a favorite outdoor activity?
Uh, duh.  Hiking or snowshoeing.  Though chasing G around the compound can be pretty fun too!

6. What about a favorite work out DVD? If so, please share!
Hell no I don't!  I did pilfer some Pilates DVD's from my Mom's house awhile ago (don't read this, Mom - you never even noticed they were gone...) but even the sight of my fat ass and saggy gut haven't pushed me to actually watch one.

7. Are you more active now or when you were in high school?
Sexually?  I was a good girl, so since I'm married I will say now.
Hm, different kind of active?  In high school I was just active enough to hang out with certain kinds of people that I wanted to be friends with.  Now I'm more "kid" active because besides chasing G around I like to get down on the floor and play with him.  I'm also a much more outdoorsy kind of gal than back then.

8. How has your dieting/working out philosophy changed since high school?
I don't stress the small stuff.  I know good, healthy eating choices (I said I knew them, I didn't say I followed them) and I know what I can and can't eat (damn old body of mine).  My working out philosophy is different only in that back then I didn't care if I got around to it and now I don't care if I get around to it but I also feel guilty.  Is that part of being a grown up?

9. What do you do while working out– (i.e., day dream, read, listen to music, gab with a friend)?
I prefer to read when on the treadmill.  I'd LOVE to listen to music but that's not going to happen with Dr. Destructo in the house.  My only "eyes" on him when I'm on the treddy are my ears.  And if we're outside I need to keep my ears tuned in for sounds like bears, mountain lions, cougars, wolves, etc.  I do like to talk to G or Ed or whoever I'm with! 

10. What working out resolution would you like to make for yourself this year?
Is just getting off my ass and doing it a resolution?

Hunting today

As we were driving along I saw a grouse.  "Stop" I say to Ed, "Grouse!"  He see's it too and starts backing up.  As he's doing so I notice two more sitting side by side on a log.  He hops out of the truck and they go nowhere.  I hand him the shotgun and he nails the two on the log with one shot and then the first one I saw he winged with the first shot, missed with his follow-up shot and then nailed with the third shot.  He started walking toward the birds and what appears but another grouse?  So he shoots that one.  Then he throws me the shotgun and points and sure enough, I put down the other two that are hanging out.  Oh yes, six grouse all sitting together...all now entombed in our freezer.  We rock!

On our way home, close to sunset I spotted three doe's.  FINALLY something with four legs (and no wings - shuddup, unicorns do exist) for me to shoot at!  Unfortunately they had almost just stepped on the road so we were pretty close.  They took off as soon as Ed hit the brakes (after I sputtered out, "Honey, honey, HONEY!" which probably should have been, "Stop!  Deer!").  We tried to follow them into a clearing down the road but that's pretty hard when you have a 2 year old in the backseat yelling out the door, "Momma, HEWP!  I go!"  Hahahaha.  Oh well, they'll live another day to tell their story.  Bitches.

Here's our little comedian - just for your viewing pleasure:

Two new phrases just this morning!

I put on a train DVD at G's request and he kind of clapped his hands and said, "I so happy!"

G was "stuck" at the top of the recliner and he said, "Momma! Hewp hewp!" I said, "Nope, you got yourself into that mess, you get yourself out." Clear as day he says to me, "Hey! I said hewp!"

These are huge considering his lack of output and language application.  It made me smile and wonder, does he really know plenty and just doesn't want to let on or is the way I'm working with him helping to improve his language?

The hermit comes out of hiding

Our neighbors, R (the ITD foreman) and his wife, R, are great people.  They've had us over to their house for dinner plenty of times and, well, in the 17 months we've lived here we haven't had anyone over to the house for dinner.  It was time and I'm glad I did it because of course it was fun.  I made a pork roast, some wild rice, corn and of course some huckleberry banana bread for dessert.  R brought her homemade caesar salad which Ed loves!  Good food, great company and a semi well behaved 2 year old.  Totally worth the cleaning and prep that went into it and it makes me wonder why I waited so long. 

I love Lightroom 3!

And I love my sister for letting me use her student discount (saving me $210) to buy it!

I took this pic of G in manual mode with no flash or flash compensation.  You can see all the "noise" on the left side of G's face more in the shadow.  But, oh that look on his face!  I went in and added some luminance and worked with the noise reduction tool in LR3, then I changed the sharpness just a little bit and added some fill light!  I like how it turned out - thought it's far from well done - just little tweaks made a big improvement.  When I asked Ed what he thought he just said, "But you blurred out the background."  Uh, the greasy fingerprinted window background?  Yeah, happily I did wash that out a little with my fill light. 

Not doggin' formula feeders...

I have to laugh because today I received an envelope in the mail that was addressed to me.  Inside was "Urgent Product Recall Powder Infant Formula," a letter from Similac about their voluntary recall of their formula based on the "Detection of the remote possibility of the presence of a small common beetle in the product produced in one production area in a single manufacturing facility."  And it gave instructions on how to check my supply of the product and how to get a compensation coupon. 

What's so funny about that, you ask?  Well first of all, G was a breastfed baby, until 6 days shy of hsi 2nd birthday.  It's an accomplishment that I'm very proud of so if you think it's "weird" or whatever, just keep your opinion to yourself, mm-kay?  When my Dad died, even with all the stress I was under, I was able to continue BFing and it wasn't until the night when Sarah broke her leg that G got his first taste of formula.  I had accompanied Sarah to Sacred Heart in Spokane because she asked me to so Ed had to give G a bottle of formula.  Obviously G wasn't adversely affected and in fact we ended up using the whole can over the next few weeks as my supply dipped in response to stress (Dad dying, getting the house ready to go on the market, house showings, work, etc...).  But it wasn't even a can of Similac that we used!  Ha!  So I have no idea where they got my information, but I think it's cool that they're doing their best to get the recall info out there to EVERYONE.

My favorite part of the letter is this tidbit: "We understand that you expect to feed your children only the highest quality product, and we value the trust you place in us."

Bwahahahaha - you betcha I expected to feed my child only the highest quality product - it's called breastmilk - and feed him I did!

Aren't we all complete strangers at one time or another?

Last night during dinner someone rang the doorbell.  That's a strange occurrence for us out here, we don't typically get unannounced visitors.  Ed was running around in a pair of boxer shorts so he ran and put some pants on.  For everyone reading this - consider this your warning - if you show up unexpectedly you risk seeing Ed in his underwear.

Turns out our door bell ringer was a truck driver who was letting Ed know that there were two "elderly" ladies that he'd been helping as their car had broken down.  Long story short, they had hit a rock in the road and it messed up the car (oil pan, engine seized up, etc...) and Ed went out and invited them inside our house so that he could call them a tow truck.  Powell + tow truck = long wait.  So we got to enjoy their company for almost 3 hours while waiting for the tow truck. 

The ladies were Pearl (mom) and Linda (daughter).  Pearl proudly told us that she was 89 years old and that she had been married for 69 years but that her husband died about 6 months ago.  The two had left home (in Washington State) on 8-21-10 and took one heck of a roadtrip.  They were on their last leg home and had travelled 10,000 miles before anything bad (car versus rock) happened.  G didn't warm up to them until after he had his bath and Linda won him over by reading a book to him.  We tried to warn her that she would now be required (by G) to read several books to him, but she's obviously a grandma because she read and read and read.  He snuggled right up into the crook of her arm and chattered away with her.  As my Grandma taught me, I offered them coffee and in the 3 hours they were here they drank the whole pot.  :)  For as long as I can remember, when at Grandma's house there was always a pot of coffee on and almost every adult was drinking a cup.  It was almost like being at Grandma's house 20 years ago. 

Ed took the ladies back down to their car to meet the tow truck who was going to take them down to Kamiah to spend the night and hopefully get their car fixed today.  I hope everything worked out well for them.  I love how sometimes an interruption in your evening can turn into great company and fun conversation.  We chatted about babies, having babies, discipline, generation differences, potty training, sleep "training," grandchildren, trains, and so much more.  We would have just had a regular family evening watching the MLB division series and they would have driven right on down the road without ever knowing there was a house back here.  We'll never see them again, but for 3 hours we were friends.

CDC EI Eval

Oh, I feel so special using abbreviations that only those who have most likely been through it would know. 

CDC = Child Development Center
EI = Early Intervention

Now that we have that out of the way, here is how it went down and the outcome recommendations of the CDC team.  First off they started the formal evaluation first.  They took G into a room with a younger woman who is a speech person and an older woman who I think is like the senior evaluator.  They were testing all the normal developmental stuff like his ability for interactive play, pretend play, engaging in play, problem solving, speech, fine and gross motor skills, etc.  G fell in love with their shape sorter and basically he did everything he could just to play with that.  Anytime they wanted him to do something he didn't want to do (like they put a few cheerios in a little plastic bottle with a screw on cap and wanted him to get the cheerios out) he would just walk away from them.  When they tried to contain him in his chair he just got out of it.  The kid does not like to be contained. 

Anyway, the team recommendations are:
1.  G would benefit from CDC's Part C Infant & Toddler Program
2.  G would benefit from direct speech therapy.
3.  A consult with an occupational therapist to address possible sensory integration issues is recommended.
4.  Encourage opportunities for g to interact witih same age peers. 

They "diagnosed" him as having "Multi-System Developmental Disorder" (MSDD) which I don't necessarily agree with.  The characteristics of MSDD are:
1.  Significant impairment in, but not complete lack of, the ability to engage in an emotional and social relationship with a primary caregiver, (e.g. may appear avoidant or aimless but may evidence subtle emergent forms of relating or relate quite warmly intermittently). 
2.  Significant impairment in forming, maintaining, and/or developing communication.  This includes pre-verbal gestural communication, as well as verbal and non-verbal (e.g. figurative) symbolic communication.
3.  Significant dysfunction in auditory processing (i.e., perception and comprehension)
4.  Significant dysfunction in the processing of other sensations including hyper- and hypo- reactivity (e.g., to visual-spatial, tactile, proprioceptive, and vestibular input), and motor planning (e.g., sequencing movements). 

I don't agree with #3 and #4, but #1 and #2 are right on.

They basically came to the same conclusions I did in that G's inability to focus his attention for any length of time (at age 2 it's not like I'm expecting him to sit for an hour or anything) is what is holding up his communication.  They think he knows a lot more than he's letting on to knowing.  He gets distratcted easily so he's just wired and he needs to be able to be calm at times as well.  He doesn't interact socially (i.e. he wouldn't engage in play with them) in the respect that he doesn't really "play" with his toys - like driving his cars or trains everywhere.  Yes, he does that for a minute or two but he doesn't make any pretend noises or drive them up things or use things as a road or tracks.  If I try to play something with him he sits and watches me or he decides to do something else.

I think once we get to the point where he's got the ability to focus his attention (don't get this confused with ADD or ADHD because it's not) then things will really start to come together for him.  Our first "goal" is to get him to communicate to us that he's done eating or full instead of throwing his food/utensil/plate on the floor.

Communication Summary: (Strengths, Test Results, Behavior, Needs):
G is an energetic and well-coordinated little boy who enjoys trains, cars, books and active outdoor play.  He is very independent and good at getting things he needs without adult assistance.  He presently communicates using mainly one or two word utterances, several of which are his unique invention (e.g., "go-go" for water).  He has had very limited opportunities to socialize with other kids thus far and does not demonstrate expected skills in the area of social/reciprocal interaction (e.g., initiating play or imitating play routines, showing objects of interest, responding to questions, seeking attention, etc).
Communication Diagnostic Impression:
Receptive and expressive language delays, and delays in social interaction.

Psychological Summary: (Strengths, Test Results, Behavior, Needs):
G is a very active two year old with a definite mind of his own.  At today's evaluation he displayed below age level attention, persistence, concentration and problem solving.  On the Bayley III Cognitive Scale he was able to complete tasks up to the 19m level.  He had significan scatter in his social emotional development which gave him a scaled score of 3.  Sensory processing score showed possible sensory processing difficulties.  The short sensory profile showed overall probable differences with definite differences in tactile sensitivity, seeks sensation, and auditory filtering with probable differences in visual/auditory sensitivity.
Cognitive/Psychological Diagnostic Impression:
Multiple System Development Delays (cognition, speech, social/emotional) with sensory processing difficulties.  Garrett's area of strength was the fine motor manipulatives.

So, what does all this mean?  It means he'll see a language pathologist for language therapy.  He "knows" plenty of stuff (names of objects, colors, numbers, letters, etc) but he just doesn't communicate them.  The occupational therapist, I believe, will work with him on his play skills.  Sounds strange I know, but it's not.  Things like, "It's my turn," when he is playing, or asking for things he needs instead of just getting them himself, etc.  I am not worried about the sensory integration issue because I think it's environmental mostly and related to his frustration at not being to express himself verbally.

Playgroups.  You betcha.  A little difficult considering where we live, but if I can find one that I like for him then I'll gladly bring him into town for interaction with other kids.  I should also become more friendly with Nicola, the Fish & Game officer's wife - as they have a little girl who is 4 months older than G and a second little girl who is just over a year younger than G.  It'd benefit their girls and G and probably us momma's.  I've just gotten used to being somewhat isolated by choice.  I love our little house and our dynamic and I'm not opening myself up to relationships with those outside my family.  I need to change that.

I'm a little doubtful of some of what they said in their evaluation (i.e. they said his problem solving skills were awesome - way above par - yet in the summary she says his problem solving is below his age level) but they did "see" the things that have been concerning me.  So, I'm open to their assistance in his language and giving him the tools to improve his attention.