#3. Do you find it difficult to balance work and home - you talk about a lot of appointments.
Typically I find it very refreshing to play several roles. I like being able to switch hats and be a mom, a wife and a career woman.
I am blessed that my mother keeps both monsters while I work. I probably would have stayed home until the kids were in school if I didn't have that option. She's absolutely amazing with them and the kids completely adore her. Knowing both kids are safe, sound and happy (and giving someone else heck for a change!) frees my mind to tackle goals that I have for myself in the working world.
It can be challenging to navigate through all of my work appointments and meetings for Dylan and dr appointments for both of them and meetings at the Chamber of Commerce and remember everyone's birthdays and bring home adnd the bacon and fry it up in a pan and balance my personal appointment, but Dylan and Lylli always come first. I figure I'll get around to that gynocologist appointment when the kids are in school - I wasn't really looking forward to that anyway ;)
Becuase I have such a solid support system from my husband, family and in-laws, working and momming is a challenge that I enjoy. I learn a lot from each facet of my life and it gives me a unique perspective.
I can handle anything they throw at me at work. I have two toddlers that routinely put syrup in my hair, bang on pots and pans while I do taxes and hide chewed up goldfish in my purse. You can't rattle me at work.
I can handle anything the kids throw at me. I just dealt with a WC investigation for one of my subcontractors on a conference call in which two of the parties involved didn't speak English, the server goes down every month or so and the copier randomly shows the error message "document on glass," when Iassure you there is no document on the glass. You can't stress me out at home.
Sometimes I crack myself up by thinking that my life is so stressful it's as though I'm totally numb to it. It's just another day in a very beautiful and blessed life :)
Working also gives me a chance to wear cute shoes, eat my food while it's hot and not worry that someone is going to wipe snot on my cardigan...
I appreciate all the questions!!
Off to watch Lost, finish a power point presentation, kiss the kids goodnight again and snuggle up with my Jear Bear <3
-Kel, master of many trades :)
2.23.2010
2.22.2010
Cue & Aye
I opened up the forum to my Facebook friends and asked that they please give me the opportunity to answer any questions they may have about Dylan's disorder, and to my surprise, I received questions about everything. Good questions, too! Questions about love, life, God, recipes, things to do in Florida, all kinds of stuff! I'm pretty excited to dig in!
I figured that I would answer them randomly, becuase that's how I do.
#1. Are you mad that Dylan has a disorder? Do you feel like he was cheated out of a "normal" life?
Wow. I actually said, "wow," outloud when I read that question. Quite simply, the answer is no on both accounts.
I am nothing short of ecstatic that I get to be his mommy. I absolutely beam every time I walk in the door and see him, same with Lylli. They are my sunshines!
I was very confused when he was first diagnoses, and very sad. That sounds like something a third grader would right, but the truth is that I had no complex emotions...I was just sad for Dylan. Sad because I knew so little about autism, and what I had seen/heard was just bad information. I was sick thinking that he would never have friends, never enjoy a date, never have the thrill of being able to enjoy music, stuck in a world that no one could get into...never love me.
That was what I had been told autism was. A disorder caused by too many vaccines which left a child a shell of their former self.
What a monstrous thing to tell the world..that every child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder is a souless, wandering person with no ability to love or feel.
After spending the next 48 hours after his diagnosis online and making appointments, I realized that ASD is as unique as the childen diagnosed.
My Dylan, our Dylan, is a beautiful and loving little angel. He needs help with his speech and with curbing his repetative behavior, and he's getting it. Not only is he recieving the help, we've seen his improve daily for the last 4-5 months.
So, am I sad? Not a bit. Dylan and his autism are intertwined, just like Lylli and her love of puppies are intertwined...just like OCD and anxiety is a part of my life.
For example, a Kelli is not a Kelli if she doesn't obsess over the food in the pantry being label out, or fuss about havign everything on her desk at 90 degree angles. It's quirky, and it gets in the way sometimes, but it's who I am. I freak out if there are too many people around me, I'll cry if I don't like the layout of a store...and that's me. I am a happy, healthy, loved and loving person and it makes no difference that I have a "disorder" of sorts. I like things neat and tidy and wish we could call "OCD" "CDO" becuase at least then it would be in alphabetical order. Yeah. Welcome to my world ;)
I love everything about Dylan, including his autism. I sincerely consider it a learning difference rather than a disorder, and I have the same expectations for him that I do for Lylli: That they enjoy life, find their soulmate, settle down, and give me grandbabies :)
As far as part two of that question, am he was cheated out of a normal life? I did in the beginning when I wasn't sure what it all meant, but now, no, I'm not worried about that at all. Besides, who wants a "normal" life? I like his quirks, other people with fall in love with his ability to hear something and hum it back immediately, or his gift of never losing his balance! Those things may be his quirks, they may be "autistic" quirks, but I know that they are what Dylan is. I love that about him.
Do we have time for another caller? I think we have time for a short one!
#2. Is Dylan harder to parent than Lylli?
Ha! HAHAHAHHAHA!! Have you MET Lylli?
Dylan listens when I tell him "no," entertains himself and plays well with others, and very rarely has a fit.
Lylli....is a fit.
Don't get me wrong, she makes my heart jump every time she says, "Mommy?" and breaks it every time she finsihes that sentence with, "Get juice," and dismissively waives her hand at me. She's hilarious and I could just eat her up she's so cute, but she is into everything in a way Dylan never was, and she has no sense of danger or fear at all.
I once heard someone say that God gives you the good child first so that you go ahead and have another one. If Lylli had been first...my tubes may have been tied before we got a chance for another one :)
They are both equally funny, sweet, smart and challenging, just in totally different ways.
And that concludes todays session. Keep asking your questions, I'm getting a kick out of answering them!
It's nice to be able to fully and competely answer the questions that I get pretty frequently without being interrupted, I really appreciate the opportunity and the interest!
Sincerely,
Kel
I figured that I would answer them randomly, becuase that's how I do.
#1. Are you mad that Dylan has a disorder? Do you feel like he was cheated out of a "normal" life?
Wow. I actually said, "wow," outloud when I read that question. Quite simply, the answer is no on both accounts.
I am nothing short of ecstatic that I get to be his mommy. I absolutely beam every time I walk in the door and see him, same with Lylli. They are my sunshines!
I was very confused when he was first diagnoses, and very sad. That sounds like something a third grader would right, but the truth is that I had no complex emotions...I was just sad for Dylan. Sad because I knew so little about autism, and what I had seen/heard was just bad information. I was sick thinking that he would never have friends, never enjoy a date, never have the thrill of being able to enjoy music, stuck in a world that no one could get into...never love me.
That was what I had been told autism was. A disorder caused by too many vaccines which left a child a shell of their former self.
What a monstrous thing to tell the world..that every child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder is a souless, wandering person with no ability to love or feel.
After spending the next 48 hours after his diagnosis online and making appointments, I realized that ASD is as unique as the childen diagnosed.
My Dylan, our Dylan, is a beautiful and loving little angel. He needs help with his speech and with curbing his repetative behavior, and he's getting it. Not only is he recieving the help, we've seen his improve daily for the last 4-5 months.
So, am I sad? Not a bit. Dylan and his autism are intertwined, just like Lylli and her love of puppies are intertwined...just like OCD and anxiety is a part of my life.
For example, a Kelli is not a Kelli if she doesn't obsess over the food in the pantry being label out, or fuss about havign everything on her desk at 90 degree angles. It's quirky, and it gets in the way sometimes, but it's who I am. I freak out if there are too many people around me, I'll cry if I don't like the layout of a store...and that's me. I am a happy, healthy, loved and loving person and it makes no difference that I have a "disorder" of sorts. I like things neat and tidy and wish we could call "OCD" "CDO" becuase at least then it would be in alphabetical order. Yeah. Welcome to my world ;)
I love everything about Dylan, including his autism. I sincerely consider it a learning difference rather than a disorder, and I have the same expectations for him that I do for Lylli: That they enjoy life, find their soulmate, settle down, and give me grandbabies :)
As far as part two of that question, am he was cheated out of a normal life? I did in the beginning when I wasn't sure what it all meant, but now, no, I'm not worried about that at all. Besides, who wants a "normal" life? I like his quirks, other people with fall in love with his ability to hear something and hum it back immediately, or his gift of never losing his balance! Those things may be his quirks, they may be "autistic" quirks, but I know that they are what Dylan is. I love that about him.
Do we have time for another caller? I think we have time for a short one!
#2. Is Dylan harder to parent than Lylli?
Ha! HAHAHAHHAHA!! Have you MET Lylli?
Dylan listens when I tell him "no," entertains himself and plays well with others, and very rarely has a fit.
Lylli....is a fit.
Don't get me wrong, she makes my heart jump every time she says, "Mommy?" and breaks it every time she finsihes that sentence with, "Get juice," and dismissively waives her hand at me. She's hilarious and I could just eat her up she's so cute, but she is into everything in a way Dylan never was, and she has no sense of danger or fear at all.
I once heard someone say that God gives you the good child first so that you go ahead and have another one. If Lylli had been first...my tubes may have been tied before we got a chance for another one :)
They are both equally funny, sweet, smart and challenging, just in totally different ways.
And that concludes todays session. Keep asking your questions, I'm getting a kick out of answering them!
It's nice to be able to fully and competely answer the questions that I get pretty frequently without being interrupted, I really appreciate the opportunity and the interest!
Sincerely,
Kel
2.05.2010
It's Perfect Vampire Weather
"Sunny" Florida my butt.
I'm a little concerned that when I see commercials for anti-depression medication I nod my head in agreement with every symptom named. Lethargic? Unmotivated? Eating ice cream for dinner because you couldn't find the energy to go the grocery store all week? Yeah. Those all sound about right.
For a brief moment yesterday afternoon the sun shone long enough for me to roll down the windows and drive home - it practically melted the residue from my long and overwhelming work week and I was at peace. I got an energizing preview of summer for ten minutes, but it was soon nothing more than a memory. ::Sigh::
My saving grace today is that it's Friday, and THANK GOD it's Friday. I don't think I can roll out of bed another day while it's still pitch dark out. My body is literally rejecting the idea of unsnuggling with Jared and putting my toesies on the floor to go get dressed.
Jared recently said it looked like Florida (and I might add, all of its inhabitants) look freezer burnt.
Yeah.
That's about right.
I'm going to listen to some Beach Boys and drink some iced tea. Hey - I can pretend. It may be the only thing that stops from me mixing prescription meds in my icecream dinner tonight.
-Kel
I'm a little concerned that when I see commercials for anti-depression medication I nod my head in agreement with every symptom named. Lethargic? Unmotivated? Eating ice cream for dinner because you couldn't find the energy to go the grocery store all week? Yeah. Those all sound about right.
For a brief moment yesterday afternoon the sun shone long enough for me to roll down the windows and drive home - it practically melted the residue from my long and overwhelming work week and I was at peace. I got an energizing preview of summer for ten minutes, but it was soon nothing more than a memory. ::Sigh::
My saving grace today is that it's Friday, and THANK GOD it's Friday. I don't think I can roll out of bed another day while it's still pitch dark out. My body is literally rejecting the idea of unsnuggling with Jared and putting my toesies on the floor to go get dressed.
Jared recently said it looked like Florida (and I might add, all of its inhabitants) look freezer burnt.
Yeah.
That's about right.
I'm going to listen to some Beach Boys and drink some iced tea. Hey - I can pretend. It may be the only thing that stops from me mixing prescription meds in my icecream dinner tonight.
-Kel
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