Mark this day down,

cause I think that we will see snow from now until spring :(

Oh what a week.....

It has been. Lets see, where should I start. Well last Friday due to circumstances beyond our control both kids were out of school. So we had been planning a trip to Toronto anyway to drop off some important paperwork and figured this would be the perfect time. So to the Go Train we went.

Rode the train into Union Station in Toronto. Then walked to the offices we needed to get to. Both kids were doing fine. We also promised a subway ride and a streetcar ride so down to the subway first, then back to the surface to ride a streetcar. Oops, rush hour, packed streetcar, sardines, two high spirited children, not a good combo. But we bore it out and made it all the way to the Longbranch Loop. Then hopped on a bus and met up with Auntie Cathy at my favorite, all time best burger place, Apache Burger. Yummmmmmm!

Had a nice, albeit short visit with Cathy (gotta hook up again soon girl!) then back on a bus and to the train station for the ride home. It was much later than planned, but figured that tomorrow is Saturday, we can all sleep in. Boy did that go out the window.

We got home at 11:30 pm. Got both kiddo's in bed, then we went to bed a bit later (like for me around 1am). I was woken up just before 3am by the sound of Maddy crying. Went in to find she had been sick on her bed, pillow, Ruff Ruff and of course herself. Fun. Got that cleaned up, only to have her do it again (fortunately in the toilet this time). So got the bucket and headed her back to bed (fully changed of course).

The poor girl continued until after 10 in the morning. Then pretty much slept all day Saturday. She had one more episode at bedtime, but slept all night. Relief, we are done. Nope. Shoulda known.

Kenny was the next victim. He started at 2am Monday. Continued until around 7, then slept pretty much the rest of the day. Hubby also started about 7:30am Monday and tried to go to work, but ended up coming home early and he slept it off.

As for me, I didn't escape it either. Mine started Tuesday, early afternoon. But I still managed to take the kids swimming, although ended up sitting in the bathroom most of the time. Made it home after that and collapsed. Not to be seen or heard from again until almost 8 am yesterday (Wednesday). Yes the kids were late for school, but hey life happens.

So it is now Thursday and I'm finally feeling more human than I have in a few days. Laundry, I gots it. Messy house, I gots it. Willingness to clean, Hell to the no!!!!!! Do I have too, yes. Blah.

Keeping fingers, toes and anything else crossed that there is no more sickness. We need some healthy time!

Halloween

Went pretty good. Especially the great weather we had. That is the first time in recent memory that it has been warm enough to walk around withOUT a winter coat and freezing our bums off.

We stayed local. Just walked around our neighbourhood, making sure to visit our friends places. And of course a stop for the adults at Timmy's. But still, we managed two bags of pure sugar. Now comes the fights of limiting the candy to one or possibly 2 a day. Fun stuff. And now we can't go into a store without being reminded that Christmas is coming. I just want to crawl under a rock and ignore it right now.

And to make matters even better, we have a clogged drain. There is about a ft long section of pipe that drains the kitchen sink and washing machine that is clogged. How did I figure this out? Easy, I tried to do some laundry yesterday morning and ended up filling the kitchen sink with the laundry water and creating a fountain in the laundry room from the drain pipe. Fun fun here, let me tell ya!

The only semi positive thing is that we can still flush our toilet and use the bathroom. They don't seem to be affected. So just means no dishes or laundry. Which means that we are not calling a plumber until Monday. Way to expensive to call on a weekend. So long as the toilet is working, I'm good with that. We did try to snake it out. Didn't work. We tried dumping stuff down the drain. Didn't work. Plunging. Didn't work. So now we will have to suffer with paying someone. Blah. There is always something.

We will also be renting a dumpster this week and start clearing out some of the junk and horrible fake wood paneling. We have a basement full of stuff we need to sort through. Two closets upstairs that need tearing down and rebuilding/replacing and a bunch of junk in the back yard that needs tossing. Lots of work to do. Fun fun.

Finally got a date

With Dr Carter from McMaster Hospital. Dec 15, either here or in Guelph, the Autism Spectrum Disorder Team will come and evaluate Kenny. There might be some blood tests involved (Lord help us if there is).

We had a nice long chat yesterday, describing everything Kenny. His sensory issues, his repetitive behaviour, eating, potty training, basically everything. Oh and the violence he displays in one of his 'fits'. That is a big one. And sleep issues, another big one.

Just wanted to let all 2 (?) of you know that we finally got a date! :)

Time is getting away again.

Keeping up is harder than I thought.

Ok, so we went for a mini vacation last weekend. Nothing too exciting or exotic. Down to Erie PA for a night and then over to Buffalo to see the Buffalo Sabers play the Vancouver Canuks. We were supposed to do some shopping in Niagara Falls Outlet Mall on Saturday for Christmas presents but that didn't happen.

Not a bad trip, if you ignore the fact that Kenny threw up Thursday night/Friday morning. He was down for the count the whole car ride back to Buffalo and then slept in the hotel room for a couple of hours! But that seemed to be the ticket to getting healthy again. He did make it to the hockey game, but only lasted one period. It was just too much for him all at once. We are going to stick with OHL games for a bit.

The shopping trip was a bust. But only because Maddy pitched the fit of a lifetime. To the point she scratched and bruised my arms and legs from kicking, biting, punching and pinching. She kicked off her shoes and said that I couldn't take her outside now. I said it was a good thing that it wasn't raining or snowing, cause then her feet would get wet and cold. That wasn't going to stop me from getting her outta there. So nothing bought for Christmas.

Now on to more positive things. We finally heard from a member of the Autism Specter Disorder Team from Trellis. This is the prep for getting a diagnosis. We meet at home next Wednesday. And we have figured out a big trigger for his behaviour! Over the past little while we have been eliminating a lot of processed, chemical ridden, highly processed food. I'm making things from scratch, including bread but that's another story :) and we have been trying to eat much healthier.

Well the other day at school, the kindergarten'ers were making something with food. One of the food items was Bugles, like a salty chip in the shape of a cone, ya know? Anyway Kenny had about 8 total and within a few minutes he was flying off the handle. Many meltdowns, energy like you wouldn't believe, restlessness, repetitive behaviour. All from a few processed chips. Neither child has had anything like that in ages. The worst they are now allowed are Goldfish crackers. I make most of our snack foods like mini banana muffins, or they get carrots/celery/tomatoes. For treats I make cookies or sometimes apple crisp. May be higher in sugar but isn't full of the chemicals that over the counter stuff is. Even things like bread, we now get at a bakery and cold meat from a local store that roasts it himself and slices it.

I'm amazed at how badly he reacted to the stuff. And if that's the case how many other kids with behaviour problems can be traced back to what they are eating. It's scary really. The more "convienent" things are the worse they are for ya. His teachers now say they can see the problems and issues we were talking about. He is truly a different child when like that. So that really helps us to continue on the same track now. We are doing the right thing. :) Halloween is gonna be interesting this yr. Poor kid will be so limited to what he can have. Or how much.

Well that's it for now. Must get to work, the laundry is screaming my name. And covering my ears just isn't working anymore.

Yucky

I hate being sick. Really I do. And it doesn't help that 3 outta 4 of us have this blasted cold. Both rug rats are still in school though and hubby is home on vacation. Interesting times around these here parts :)

I need my nyquil. I lurve nyquil. Nyquil is my bestest friend. Especially now since I found it in pill form, so no more nasty syrup. Gives me a couple of hrs of sleep anyway. Blah. Did I mention I hate being sick?

Junior Kindergarten is going very well! Kenny would rather go there than to daycare now. Too bad he can't go every day. Would certainly save on my sanity. But oh the temper tantrums in the last couple of days. Every little thing is causing him to explode. So hard to deal with when it's happening for everything. Even little things like getting him to move over on the couch is setting him off for a round. Blah. Don't know what is setting him off now. Maybe the change in seasons?

Still waiting for an appointment date to see the Dr. in Hamilton. He has started some therapy in daycare once a week to help with sensory issues. I would love to get him in more often but money (lack of) is in the way. So many people tell me that at first glance/short dealings with him that they would never suspect something is wrong. Verbally he is right on track. And that throws people. He can, and does :) voice his opinion. But then all hell breaks loose and he regresses into himself. Different things set him off at different times, which doesn't help trying to nip an episode before it gets too late.

At least I have one thing. I have to keep reminding myself that it is a major positive and is to be looked at as a huge bonus. He loves hugs and kisses. Dishes them out at will. Even at 3 am! But as everything else, they have to be on his terms. I just wish he would choose a better time!!!!!

As for life around here, not much happening. Hubby has taken 2 weeks vacation but because we are flat broke, any trips are out of the question. We were thinking of going to Montreal but with both kidlets + gas + hotel + food = not happening this time. This is the one thing that sucks right now. No extra money. But he has so much extra time off accumulated from all the overtime he's been working that he needs this time away. And in case anyone reads this and says he is whining, he works around death all day, every day. Even if you are used to it, you need a break. And these are not vacation hours. So if he doesn't take them, he loses them. Basically working for free. Not a good thing for us.

I'm going back to school!!!! But first I need to take an English course through the college because I've been out of (real) school for so long. I could just go in and write a test, but, I'd feel better reviewing the work and re-learning some of the messed up English rules! At least for spelling there is always spell check! I lurve me some spell check. Wish me luck on the English. I'm gonna need all the help I can get!