The Brother's Gwin

Is it February already?

2007-02-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

WOW! I haven't posted in quite along time. Partly because my computer motherboard crashed and I had to send it in for repairs, yikes! Then there were the holidays and work and kids and and and.........time flies when you are having fun. We had a great Christmas!

The kids are doing great. I had a long lecture type conversation with Josh and Jonny yesterday, more of the same stuff. I swear one of these days I'm gonna go on strike! Teenagers can be big turds.

Jared started preschool at Goodard and he loves it. All by himself I can't believe it!

Today the kids have a snow day, good and bad. I think this is the first time in three years. I'm taking the day to catch up, yeah!!!!!

2006-10-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Susie and I went to a post adoption support group for special needs kids. It was really good and helpful. I was glad Susie was able to come, to hear stories from other families like mine; was good for her. I'm sure she feels isolated.
They offered childcare and I brought Isaiah and Jared. Of course, I got called out to help with Isaiah, really he was just being "Isaiah" nothing too outragous.
I hope to keep going; it is really nice to know you are not the only one dealing with these issues. Issues nobody else seems to really understand. RAD, PTSD, ODD

Today was ordinary and boring. yeah! I love boring days. I took a nap with the little guys for 2 1/2 hours. I could not believe it. I haven't done that in a while. I mean a real nap, were I actually slept. Caught up on laundry and cleaned up the house, played on the computer longer than I should have and went shopping at Target for nothing.

2006-10-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

We have one lonely tree in the front yard. This year it turned a beutiful red and gold. We actually had leaves in the yard. I know pretty sad, LOL

Forever Brother's

2006-10-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

I am often asked "are they blood related?" My consistent answer is "You bet!" Jared and Isaiah are 3 months apart in age and would be absolutely devasted if ever separated.

Jared came home at 18months of age.
Isaiah came home at 30months of age.

For Jared and Isaiah they ARE blood related.

Thank you MegaMom

2006-10-25T06:02:00.000-07:00

Autism and sleep do not mix. My little guy will not sleep in a bed, only on the floor. Most nights are spent wandering around the room with maybe 4-5 hours of sleep.

But thanks to MegaMom and her link to the ebay store Natural Remedies, I finally found something that helps him to fall asleep and stay asleep. He has had this weighted blanket since last week and so far so good, YEEEAAAAHHHH!!!!!! He loves it!

It has dinosaurs on it (his favorite) and it weighs 8lbs.

It really is great!

Grandma's house

2006-10-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

My RAD affected 4 year old was homesick! I could've cried, actually I did. After one night at Grandma's house, my little guy cried for me.

Isaiah has been home for 2 years, just 2 1/2 years old when I picked him up. He spit on the back of my seat all the way home, screamed and called me a "butthead". The most affected of any foster child I had yet to deal with.

Over a year of attachment therapy. Strict, consitent parenting. Holding and rocking, holding and rocking. Repairing 2 years of hurt and pain.

Finally, a ray of hope. My baby called me and asked to come home.

2006-10-22T17:52:00.000-07:00

Greenwood Marching Woodman

2006-10-22T17:44:00.000-07:00

We spent Saturday at the RCA Dome for the marching band State Finals.

GREENWOOD WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!

Greenwood is Indiana's Class B State Champ

Josh was soooo excited.

2006-10-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

Do you ever hate to post something good for fear it will come back and bite you in the butt?

Jonny is doing extremely well lately. Really well! I have been impressed with his behavior and his reactions to stressfull situations. Typically in survival mode, Jonny has been thinking more about others and not just himself.

Adopted at age 11, there are so many past experiences that I will never know about. Lots and lots of hurts, disappointments and worries, that I have only seen a glimpse of. It has been difficult for him to make good choices. This past summer his impulsesivity got the best of him and landed him in big trouble. A lesson learned.

I am hoping maturity is finally catching up, as he is 13, going on 9 most of the time.

However, hope is in the air and these past few weeks have been awesome and I am looking forward to more of them.

Now, let's hope I didn't just jinx us.

Cute pet pictures

2006-10-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Moving stress

2006-10-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

We are going to be moving soon! Yeah! A good stressor, but anxiety of moving and packing has me getting worried. The new house is big, much bigger than we have now and that part is very exciting. The packing, packing and more packing is the stressful part. Seven people, plus three cats and two dogs make for very little extra space in a 1300 square foot house. We are definately comfy. Cramped is more like it.

Pumpkin patch time.....

2006-10-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Elijah and I went to the Pumpkin patch today with his kindergarten class. He started out very stressed and needing lots of reassurance that this change in routine would be OK. Poor guy just cannot handle anything beyond the the typical and predictable. Sad thing was his kindergarten teacher didn't even acknowledge me or Elijah. We mostly stayed with the special ed. teacher and the other student she had with her. I realize she has limited time with him, as he spends most of his time in the essential skills classroom with the special ed. teacher. I love her! She is very realistic, but hopeful with Elijah. We ended up having a really good time and he enjoyed himself once he relaxed.

Jack's Walk

2006-10-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, me and the boys, Grandma and Grandpa and Susie all participated in Jack's walk. A 2 mile walk to benefit local Johnson county families who have children with autism. It was great fun and everybody had a really good time. The weather was prefect and the little boys all did really well. I forgot my camera and lost my sunglasses, but oh well. Me and Dad each won a door prize! Yeah! Hopefully, we can make it an annual event.

Comments

2006-10-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

Comments about my family use to never bother me. Lately, they come from everybody and everywhere. "what a great family you have" "all boys, wow!" "do you every go to sleep?" "are they twins?" "how do you do it?" on and on and on.
The comments really, for the most part are harmless, people being curious and trying to be nice, but some people really irritate me!!!!!!!
We are eating out a couple nights ago at Applebees. An older woman comes up to our table and asks me "are you a foster parent?" and I said yes and no. She wanted me to elaborate, of course! I said these are my children and she said of course they are and I said "NO! THESE ARE MY CHILDREN". She got the point and walked away. I am not a rude person, but people are really irritating. Being a transracial family, does not mean we wear a sign that says "ask me about my family". I am all the time being asked "where did you adopt from and how much did it cost"? I really don't think I could ever go up to a total stranger and ask that.

2006-10-03T16:53:00.000-07:00

laundry, laundry and more laundry! I am a freak about doing laundry. It has to be a certain way or it gets re-done. I have a great babysitter who helps with laundry on days that I work, but she just does not do it right. I need to get over it.......ahhhhhhhhhhh! Somebody please help me, hehe!

Bubbles.........

2006-09-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Isaac at the Foster Parent Picnic

September 16, 2006

Sheesh...........what a week!

2006-09-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

It started last weekend on Saturday and we haven't stopped yet! Dance class, foster parent picnic and Marching Band Competition on Saturday, picking kids up and dropping kids off all day. Sunday, family reunion in Terre Haute, eveybody was exhausted! The little boys played and played.

The week was full of drs. appts, therapy, counseling sessions and working three days this week. Today was 1/2 day of work, followed by dropping off Elijah at respite, shopping with Jonny for 2 hours because none of his clothes are fitting, yikes! What a joy that was, NOT! Let's just say he is not easy to shop for, then we attempted the high school football game, but got rained out. Oh and I forgot to mention that the dryer went out, $109.20 later, I find out that yellow marking crayon was stuck in the heating element. The same kind of crayon that one might use during marching band practice. 3 days without a dryer has put me behind in laundry for the whole week. Yep it was quite a week.

Impulse control

2006-09-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Last night, while in bed thinking about an earlier incident at the dinner table, Jared quietly snuck out of his bed and into my room. He then found and proceeded to put at least half a tube of A&D diaper rash ointment into his hair. I could actually smell it downstairs. I went to investigate and found the evidence. He claims he was "just puttin' hair grease on Mommy". After I told him he put butt cream on is hair, a look of horror came across his face.
This is him in the shower, looking pretty disgusted because it tooks three shampooing attempts to get some of the ointment out.
However, his hair this morning is as soft as a babies bottom, hehe! Poor thing!

2006-09-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Marching band season for Josh has been a series of emotional ups and downs. Starting with feelings of doubt and poor self confidence, he has now become a marching band professional. He absolutley loves it and is doing well! He has made friends! yeah The practices and competitions are intense, something he usually backs away from, as it seems unachievable for him, but marching has been put in a different light. He is striving to do well.

Gwin Gang

2006-09-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

The whole gang minus Mom. Six boys in less than 4 years, WOW! I must be crazy.

The many faces of autism.....

2006-09-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

Elijah......
escaped on Sunday morning, out of two locked and "child proofed" doors, opened the garage door, went through another door and outside. He was found running up and down the street by my neighbor. I didn't hear any of it, not the phone, door bell or Elijah (obviously)!!! I was awakened by Josh knocking on my door, frantically. I couldn't believe it! This nonverbal, autistic child, stunned us all. Almost like he had been planning his escape for months and this was finally his chance. Of course, it all seems funny now, but yesterday I was shaking. Anything could've happened and I would have been devastated.

Being silly

2006-09-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

DUH-OH

Spaghetti Face

CHEESY GRIN

Superman

2006-09-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

Today my parents came over and we celebrated mine and Jared's birthday. Isaac played sooo hard, mostly being Superman, as Grandma made all the little boys capes. We spent some time at the park so that Jared could play with his new scooter, a Superman one of course. Isaac then pooped out on the couch about 7pm, with a death grip on his cape. He had told us all day "dis i my ape!" We know Isaac, we know!

2006-09-08T18:10:00.000-07:00

The little guys played outside most of the afternoon.
It was breezy and cool, just a great day all around.
Alot of fun for 3 little boys.

Josh and Isaac......Isaac and Josh

2006-09-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Once a Mama's boy, Isaac now seems attached to the hip of big brother Josh.

At 14, Josh is wise beyond his years. Extremely smart and articulate, he struggles with the everyday common sense things. He hates social situations and has difficulty making friends.

However, when it comes to his brother's.........

Josh is a hero

Alarm clocks

2006-09-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

I am trying a new strategy in helping Jonny get up in the mornings. We have had ongoing issues with alarm clocks, waking up, getting ready for school; basically the whole morning schedule before the bus comes. He is right now the only one with this problem and it is getting really frustrating. Josh is completely over it, as they share a room and Josh gets up on his own every morning without a ounce of help for good ole Mom. Jonny, on the other hand, needs me to walk him through the whole morning routine.

As of Friday, 9/8/06, I will start making notes of when he gets up, how long it takes him to get ready and so forth. We will then discuss it at his next therapy session. David (therapist) is hoping that cold, hard facts will help him understand this type of behavior in the morning does not help anybody and it only makes for a poor start of the day.

Jonny's struggles could be blog in itself; everyday is trying and hard. For myself, it is picking the battles and sticking to appropriate consequences. For Jonny, it seems to be how can I make this day about "ME". Completely self-absorbed, he spent way too many years in survival mode to really be able to think about anyone else. Turning 13 this year has NOT helped! Having spent 14 days at Valle Vista (acute psych. facility) seemed to only strengthen his need for control. I really spend most days with Jonny in management mode, keeping him in sync with the real world, as best possible and showing him that family does matter.

Happy Birthday

2006-09-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

I share my birthday with Jared, my third adopted son. We are definately a match made in heaven. Today is our birthday and I got to go to Chuck E Cheeses. YEAH! Chucke E Cheese is the optimal birthday bash for any 4 year old. Isaiah and Isaac had equally good times. Actually, everyone was pleasantly well behaved. Large, chaotic places are usually difficult for my kiddos, as much as they want to have fun, it can sometimes be too over-stimulating, but everybody managed to hold it together and we had fun!!!

Jared ended up eating 2 pieces of pizza, 2 cupcakes, 3 or 4 pieces of candy and about 2 8oz. cups of Sprite and I'm wondering why he is having a hard time falling asleep. LOL

He was sooo sweet and well mannered while opening his gifts, saying thank you and "I LOVE IT" to everything. He especially liked the Bob the Builder tool set.

Birthdays came frequently around this house and we seem to be celebrating something every month; I think it's fun. The boys are really growing up and I'm proud of how they are acting. Even Isaiah used his words and told me "I am sad Mommy, it's not my birthday". Usually reacting to jealousy with a tantrum or acting out, today was fairily calm in his world.

Another successful birthday!

Three days off from school

2006-09-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

Having had three days to play video games......

they both started acting a little

CUCKOO

2 peas in a pod

2006-09-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

Quiesha and Elijah

Labor Day

Introducing Mr. Stevie Wonder

2006-09-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

hehehehe

A boy and his dog

2006-09-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Elijah loves Hayden, really loves him. Loving on him all the time, poor dog. It is so sweet to watch. Elijah has such a hard time with touch and feelings, rarely initiating either, but this dog is everything a person is not. Hayden, a little over a year old is a really good dog, having never growled or snipped at anyone or anything. The boys love him and he loves them, playing for hours, if that is what they want to do. Supposedly a minature dachsund, he weighs over 20lbs. LOL! big boned like the rest of us. What a great dog.

Boys and Tents

2006-09-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

Three little boys under a tent. Why is this so fun? They spend hours in the playroom with 2 blankets, playing various games under their "tent".

Quiesha

2006-09-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

My respite regular, she is here for the week while foster mom recovers from surgery. She is sitting in the doorway blowing spit on the door. Quiesha, autistic and brain injured is quite the character. Nonverbal, yet very verbal. Can throw one heck of a tantrum. We love her for all her quirks, as we affectionatley call them. Quirks, ya right!

Starting........ a blog

2006-09-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

I love to read blogs! Actually, I feel a bit addicted. There are a host of adoption related blogs that I read frequently. I love the ones about large families. It makes everything in my life seem real, ya know, like I'm the sane one for only having 6! My kids! Wow Six boys!

Here are three of them

Jared, Isaac and Isaiah, 3, 2, and 4.

I love this life, as crazy and chaotic as it can seem, I love it.