Bathtub Barbershop

By Sandy on February 20, 2012

Josiah’s hair is getting long. Quite long actually. I started thinking early this morning how easy it would be if he were a girl. We could let his hair grow and grow and grow. It wouldn’t matter how long it got because long hair on a girl is fine. Not so fine on a little boy.

He’s needed a haircut for a while. He is way overdue. When Josiah gets his hair cut we typically have it done in a buzz cut. We have it cut as short as possible and it looks really cute that way. The real reason we get it cut so short is because the entire experience is horrendous. Josiah detests getting his hair cut. No one wants to put the boy through such an ordeal. So getting it cut super short means we have to do it less frequently.

Daddy Knows Best

By Sandy on February 17, 2012

Rick and I rarely get out together anymore. We used to ‘date’ quite frequently. Those days are long gone. One of us always needs to be with Josiah. Recently though we have found some amazing, caring babysitters who are wonderful with Josiah. It has enabled us to spend a night here and there out together, reconnecting.

Last night we were able to steal away for a couple of hours to catch a movie. It was a thrill for me. Since Christmas break, Josiah has spent more time out of school, home sick, than he has in school. That means, I’ve been here with him. It means long days and often, even longer nights. Chandler has been sick also. She has Strep and has been home quite a few days as well.I was glad to be getting a break.

Learning to Listen

By Sandy on January 31, 2012

Our Church has a wonderful group of loving, compassionate souls who give of their time each Sunday as REACH Volunteers. While Rick and I worship in Church, these amazing people watch Josiah and other children with disabilities. They are fabulous with our kids and include them as much as possible with typically developing peers. We are so very grateful for this service provided free of charge and blessed to know Josiah is so well cared for.

Earlier this week, we received the following letter from Joanie, a woman who works very closely with all the volunteers and the children with special needs at our church. With her permission, I am sharing her letter, changing the name of the other child involved to ‘Max’.

Purple Champs

By Sandy on January 24, 2012

For more years than I care to remember, Josiah has been on quite a few heavy duty medications. These medications were ones Rick and I actively sought out for him. We had gotten to a point where we needed something, anything to help impact his life for the better. We had tried most everything else.

I remember a conversation with a Pediatric Neurologist a few months ago. I was told a new medication he was prescribing would help calm Josiah at the end of the day and allow him to sleep through the night. If there were no improvements, he would prescribe an additional medication. After a few days with no improvement and serious sleep deprivation, I called, asking for the additional medication. It was a Friday morning.

What To Do?

By Sandy on January 16, 2012

Josiah has no need for toys. He rarely finds them engaging. He typically ignores them. Actually, often they make him angry. Over the years I’ve searched for a toy that would be THE toy Josiah would love, the one that would mesmerize him, captivate him and allow us to interact with him. It’s been nearly 10 years and I still have not found that toy.

I’ve searched specialty stores, scoured catalogs, browsed sensory integration sites on-line and have read countless reviews from other parents. Many times I thought for sure I had stumbled upon the quintessential toy. Many times, I was wrong.