Things I want to remember:

We took Austyn to the fair this week! He went when he was barely toddling, and we haven't been back since, so this was his first memorable fair experience.

We got the see the Budweiser Clydesdales, eat fair food, play games, and ride rides. He had so much fun!

I can't believe what a grown boy he's turning into! I was sure he wouldn't want to ride any of the rides on his own, but he hopped right in, ecstatically.

He loved the flying elephants, the bumper boats, and the ferris wheel.

I, in 27 years, have still not learned my lesson about this sort of spinny ride. They do not work for me! I remember once I went to the Arkansas state fair and rode the honey bears like 3 times in a row and couldn't stand to move for about half an hour afterwards! This dragon ride was funny because Austyn couldn't control his body in it. He was sitting between me and Sarah, and we both ended up having to hold him still so he wouldn't bang his head against the wall. He was laughing the whole time though!

When we decided we were done with the fair, we got funnel cake and sat down. Austyn snuggled up against me with his (four!) stuffed animals won playing games. I said, Austyn did you have fun today? He said yes momma. I said good, we have to go home now OK? He said no momma, have more fun. I said, Austyn we're out of money for the fair, it's time to go home. He said, no, have more fun now. Then he looked at my mom and said, Nana, need your money! I almost fell off the bench....it was hilarious!

This, that, and the other:

This has been an insanely busy week. This week, our church hosted 115 children for Vacation Bible School. I was the leader of the five year olds, and it was chaotic-fun. I had 23 kids: 20 boys and 3 girls. About halfway through the day, the boys were crazy physically rambunctious and the girls would become unhappy about it. One of my girls has down syndrome, and when she becomes bored, scared, or unhappy, she runs. And she's little, so she runs FAST! I definitely got my workouts in this week.

In other news, Austyn has been having digestive trouble for almost a month. We've done a few tests that were all clear for any kind of parasite or virus. So yesterday his doctor ordered bloodwork to check for celiac and crohn's disease. The bloodwork will also check for metabolic disorders. This makes me pretty nervous, I just want him to feel better already! If/when these tests come back negative, we'll start testing for food allergies. I can't imagine it being a food allergy though....his doctor has already had me modify his diet. Currently, he's not eating/drinking dairy, not drinking sugary drinks (juice/koolaid), and only allowed limited fruit. I can't imagine trying to limit his diet further. We'll see!

Also, my grandma was admitted into the hospital yesterday with bad back pain and high blood pressure. They ran an MRI this morning and we are still waiting for the results. I'm hoping big time that they can find a way to make her feel better!

Mr. Camel came to dinner

Austyn watches a ridiculous amount of a little television show called Max and Ruby on Noggin. Because of this, sometimes...er oftentimes, he emulates the behaviors he learns on the show and brings them to everyday situations.

For example: Ruby (the sister bunny) is oftentimes throwing tea parties. She tends to involve all her stuffed animals in these parties, even going so far as to hand write each stuffed animal an invitation and putting out a place setting for them at the table. Last night, as I was preparing dinner (we had company...a cousin from Tuscon came for the evening), Austyn decided that SIX of his stuffed animals were coming to dinner.

Our dinner for four quickly turned into a dinner for ten. He put out bowls for all of them, silverware for a couple of them, and a napkin for one of them. I guess he assumed BooBear was going to be the only messy eater. I had made stuffed shells for dinner, and there were a couple empty shells left over, so each stuffed animal got an unstuffed shell. Very cute.

As that was happening, I was thinking, do I encourage this or just pretend it's not happening? My fear of encouraging it was that it would turn into a have to do thing. Austyn is very much a creature of habit, so oftentimes if you do it once, you continue to do it for a month following. This evening I realized that was a legitimate fear because as I was getting Austyn's dinner ready, Mr. Camel showed up and took a seat at Austyn's table. Austyn was kind enough to get him a fork, napkin, and a bowl. Halfway through the meal, as you can see, our shark also arrived.

I can only imagine who is coming to dinner tomorrow!

I'm getting old..

It's official:

There is talk about our 10 year high school reunion all over facebook. That just means I am getting old!

I'm not old enough to have been out of high school for 10 years yet!

I don't graduate college until December of this year!

I haven't bought a house, or traveled the world, or started a kick ass profession, or gone to cooking school, or had a whole bunch of kids, or any of that other stuff I thought I'd have done by now.

I was talking to my buddy Lee about this and we were debating whether or not we were going with each other. I told him, I'm not so sure because, well when I graduate in December, if I'm able to get a job in Jan or Feb, who says I'll be able to have time off as early as June? Additionally, I didn't really GO to our High school. I took part in DECA, my boyfriend was older than me, and I was only in school our senior year for three hours! Most of the people I really formed that relationship with are still around.

I did tell him I'd think about it though. It would be interesting to see everyone that comes, and hear success stories and find those few people I lost track of!

On the younger side of me right now, I believe I have an ear infection. I'm trying to treat it using homoeopathic drops at the moment because I don't like using antibiotics often. Also, I'll feel like a little kid going to the doctor over a freaking earache!

Education Cuts

The first cuts to be made in February after our new people took office were directed towards public schools (everything from elementary to University) and disabilities and welfare.  I know that they are trying to fix the deficit in our state, but I feel as though not all the cuts should come from the area where people are unable to fix it themselves.  Our elementary age students are not going to teach themselves.  People with disabilities are very unlikely to lose or cure themselves of their disabilities, although I'm sure they would love to.  People at my level in the University (Senior with one semester left) are tempted to drop out because our tuition went up 1,000 dollars a semester.  That's 25%!  

Where am I going with this you might ask?  I just got a letter in the mail from Austyn's school.  His preschool is a special needs preschool situated inside one of our local elementary schools.  The school itself is fantastic and I'm blessed to have found the program.  My only complain thus far is I wish I would have found the school earlier.  He receives a half hour of speech therapy there a week and the rest of the time it's a seemingly normal preschool.  He has grown so much in the past 8 months because of this preschool it's fantastic. 

Right, back to the letter....because of the budget cuts they are changing the program for the fall.  This past year Austyn was in the morning class so he was going from 7:50 to 10:35 Monday through Thursday.  It wasn't a lot of time, but it was a nice break for me.  His new schedule in the fall? Tues, Wed, Thurs from 12:30-2:00.  

I had already planned on placing him in Montessori for this last year of preschool.  Our church has a fabulous Montessori program where I actually did some student teaching.  The reason I'm bothered by the new preschool schedule is that it is not a very long program at all.  I don't see how the kids are going to get the interaction and lessons they need to get them prepared for Kindergarten.  That is the entire purpose of this preschool!  

I was planning on allowing Austyn to continue with the preschool at least until November because that is when his IEP is up for reevaluation.  I don't know any way to make that happen though with such a ridiculous schedule.  My school is 30-45 minutes away depending on traffic so this new schedule doesn't even allow me to go to one class!  I'm disappointed he won't be receiving the speech therapy anymore, but I don't know how to make it work.  Perhaps I'll talk to his doctor to see if there are any alternatives.  

From the mouths of babes:

Austyn is starting to say more and more hilarious things: 

Earlier in the week, Austyn outsmarted me (again) over something I can't remember.  I looked at him and said, "do you know you are sometimes too smart or me?"  He looked at me (dead serious) and said yes.  

Sigh. 

Tonight he was sitting on the couch and I asked him if he wanted to come sit with me.  He said no.  A few minutes later he told me to come sit with him.  So I said, "OK, but I'm going to tickle, kiss, hug and love you." Austyn said "No tickle no tickle Mommy"  so I said "Ok, I won't tickle you." Then he said "no kiss Mommy" so I said "Ok, I won't kiss you." Then he said "no hug" so I said "Ok, I won't hug you either...geez kiddo!"  Then he so "no love me Mommy."  That one was kind of sad and I couldn't promise not to do that so I went and picked him up and kissed, hugged, tickled and loved on him.  Poor kiddo....all the things he asked me not to do!

 

Pictures!

While we were in Oklahoma, Halley took some fantastic pictures for Austyn's 4 year old pics for me!!

I think these three are my favorite.  Halley took about 140 pictures at that park and about 40 at his birthday party.  I had a hard time choosing, so I spent almost 80 bucks printing pictures!  It was still a lot cheaper than getting stuffy studio pictures, and a lot more fun because it was with an old friend I rarely get to see.