Bennett video

I am trying to work through our rather large backlog of Luke and Bennett videos. Here is the most recent tape with a few highlights of Bennett. Mom, don't worry, we are not letting him do the pool jump (you will see).
(Bennett early 2010)
Bennett June 2010
Jumping

Don't stare

Kurt is out of town and already I am exhausted. Our therapist typically comes on Tuesdays and she cancelled today (what's new) so we headed to Costco to pick up a few necessities. Costco typically is very do-able with both kids because they have double wide carts so I can fit both kids. We get a smoothie and go about our business. Other grocery stores carts fit just one kid so we have stalk other moms that have the 'car' carts with the cute little steering wheels and two seats. (By the way, I feel like I am driving a semi-truck when I do snag the car cart. There must be a better way).

So Luke wasn't doing so well at Costco at was doing "the grunt". I wish I knew how to describe this so those of you who haven't had the pleasure of hearing it. It is LOUD and continuous. Did I mention loud? Uhhhhhhhhhhghhhhhhhhhwhhhhhhhhhhhh uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Anyway, I KNOW it is a weird. I KNOW he is loud. I KNOW you don't know what to think. But PLEASE DO NOT stare. Especially the lady who did the triple take with her eyes popping out of her head. It just makes me feel worse. It is uncomfortable for me because unless he is doing his hand flaps it's not immediately obvious that Luke has special needs. I do know from personal experience that sometimes people look just out of instinct when they hear a weird sound. I totally understand that. But continuing to stare like a 6 year old is a bit uncalled for. I have never had so many people look at me. Yuck. Just had to vent.

Picture above taken by Luke's teacher at school on Monday. Super cute picture. This is the last week of school and I am dreading it being over. Luke loves everything about school, the classroom, the gym, the playground, the bus and his teachers. It is also better for him to have all those activities. Summer is tough to fill up all that available time. We are going to Montana for the 4th of July (and a few days before) and EEU summer camp is in July. August is empty so I am working to fill it up. We have a 2nd therapist that will come 2x/week and I am super excited to try swim lessons. I've always wanted to take Luke to swim lessons but always had a terrible image in my head of paying $2/minute for someone to try and teach Luke to swim without understanding his needs (and me standing the corner saying "he doesn't understand what you are saying, he doens't know words, he can't talk". Get this! His pre-school teacher for the past two years is a swim teacher! Who knew??! She totally 'gets' Luke and he totally loves her! I am excited to try it (I will be standing in the corner but this time I'll be holding Bennett trying to prevent him from jumping into the pool fully clothed!).

Bennett's words

Fast forward to May because I am so excited....Words, words, words! Bennett is talking and it is the most exciting thing I have ever heard. I am certain that everyone is exciting when their child says their first words. I am also certain however that Kurt and I likely appreciate it a bit more. He has been saying 'Luge' (Luke) for quite a while (I think it was his official first word once I realized what he was saying) and 'mama' but it wasn't until March that I really knew for sure he was saying words. He started slow and now is adding words on a regular basis. My favorite this week is 'choo choo' for train. It's more of a high pitched 'too too'. I am determined to get it on video. He changed 'Luge' to "ga-ga" (unsure why). Elmo is 'La La' (from LaLa LaLa LaLa LaLa Elmo's World). Dada, NaNa (Nena), shoes (sues) and how could I forget NO! nonononononono.
Other favorite things lately with the boys... Luke cuddling in the morning before we get him ready for school. He sucks his thumb and puts his head on my shoulder and snuggles down. Sometimes when I say we have to get ready for school and stand up he keeps his legs bent so his legs won't hit the floor in an attempt to extend the cuddle. He digs me. I can tell.
Bennett gives hugs all the time and the best thing now is that he pats your back during the hug. He obviuosly got that from us giving him hugs but to see and feel him doing it is the cuttest thing ever. Will try and video or photo that as well!

Fair weather blogger - Christmas in May

It has been 5 months since I posted! That's an eternity to a 5 year and 21 month old! 1/4 of Bennett's lift has been ignored. Terrible terrible mother. Well...not quite. I've been mothering but just not writing about it.
I giggled when I saw my last post about the Grinch. Turns out the Grinch did steal our Christmas. Above is Christmas Eve, the day before we began our blizzard adventure. Thankfully we celebrated our small family Christmas before we left. The next day...yes, Christmas (tickets were much cheaper) we pummeled by weather on our way to Norfork. Christmas day was spent in the Denver airport (yes, the entire day) and night in a hotel nearby. Our Christmas dinner was the last 2 turkey sandwiches the airport had to sell. Bennett and Luke didn't seem to mind. The next day we made it to Omaha but with roads closed to Norfolk we spent another day and night in a hotel. This time we were smart and picked a hotel with a shuttle (we had no car), restaurants and a pool. I made a trip to Walmart to buy swim diapers for the boys and something for Kurt and I to wear to swim. Not too many options at the Walmart in Council Bluffs, Iowa in December. Kurt wore basketball shorts that were 10 sizes too big and I wore a sports bra and boxer shorts that I pinned shut with the airplane 'wings' the boys got from United. Great visual huh? Yes, we looked like quite a classy bunch.

Our delayed Christmas with Lori, Paul, Megan, Emily, Rich and Gail was quite nice...even if we only got a few days with them. However if Kurt's parents decided to move to a warmer climate, I wouldn't be too upset! :)


Thankfully Luke was healthy after his Thanksgiving strep throat. Bennett loved opening presents (tearing the paper) and impressing everyone with his climbing skills. I was a bit terrified and impressed at the same time. Emily and Bennett had a good time together and I look forward to seeing them play together this fall when they come to visit.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

I LOVE the Christmas season but I have to admit that I can get a bit stressed out with all there is to do. I want to pick out the perfect gift for family, make treats for the neighbors, something for all our teachers, therapists, wrap the gifts (with cute bows and decor!) etc. I can get a big bogged down even though I put it all on myself. In the end the really great part is just being with the people you love and enjoying all the new and old traditions you create together. One of my favorite books at this time is How the Grinch Stole Christmas by the brilliant Dr. Seuss. I think the message is so perfect. I will spare you the whole book but I did want to add the last few pages.
Here's to your Christmas meaning a little bit more!

(The back story....the Grinch has stolen all the packages, trees, food etc. from the Who's to try and prevent Christmas from coming!).

It was quarter past dawn...
All the Whos, still a-bed
All the Whos, still a-snooze
When he packed up his sled,
Packed it up with their presents! The ribbons! The wrappings!
The tags! And the tinsel! The trimmings! The trappings!

Three thousand feet up! Up the side of Mt. Crumpit,
He rode with his load to the tip top to dump it!
"Pooh-Pooh to the Whos!" he was grinch-ish-ly humming.
"They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!
"They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
"Their mouths will hand open a minute or two
"Then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO!

"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch,
"That I simply MUST hear!"
So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow...

But the sound wasn't sad!
Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn't be so!
But it WAS merry! VERY!
He stared down at Who-ville!
The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook!
What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
"It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas....perhaps...means a little bit more!"

And what happened then...?
Well...in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch's small heart
Grew three sizes that day!
And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight,
He wized with his load through the bright morning light
And he brought back the toys! And the food for the feast!
And he....

...HE HIMSELF....!
The Grinch carved the roast beast!

Kids and Christmas

Merry Christmas! We have had a fun Christmas season so far and are excited to join the Schulenburg family in Nebraska on Christmas day. Bennett and Luke both love the tree, especially the ornaments that look like big shiny balls! We have to be on a bit of extreme 'tree patrol' to prevent any catastrophes. Bennett likes to grab the packages and drag them around by the ribbon. Luke tries to chew on them.

We've been quite excited by Bennnett's sign language despite him testing quite low in receptive and expressive language both in the sibling study and at the EEU. He is signing 'My turn', 'Eat', 'More', 'Boiler Up', 'Milk' (which he means for any drink). It's so fun to see him learn to communicate more.
Luke has begun matching colors in school and stacking up to 6 blocks. It's small forward progress with him but still progress. We are still working diligently on PECS (Picture Exchange) in hopes that will become more useful. He's also getting great at 'Hug'. At Thanksgiving he even leaned in and put both arms up on my shoulders. I almost cried! He has the BEST bus driver (Diane). She bought antlers for each of the kids and they all wore them to and home from school. Bennett then stole them from Luke and tried to put them on himself (picture above). Today the driver sent home a tin of homemade caramel corn and books for both boys. She is amazing! She get so enthused when Luke gives her eye contact on the rides.

Bennett loves to give hugs also - especially to his big brother. He hugs my legs if I don't get down soon enough. Today I said 'give Elmo a hug' and he hugged the giant Elmo that Aunt Lori bought Luke a few years ago. When he is tired and you pick him up he puts his head on your shoulder and then tucks his hands between your chest and his. It is so adorable. I love this age for sure!
He has a fasination with my friend Katrnia's chocolate catalogs from her company Vosges. I have found him sitting in his room 2 times this past week flipping through the catalogs. I hope he buys me my favorite! Our nanny Nena noticed this too and said "Rachel you eat too much chocolate when pregnant. Bennett likes the chocolate book". Too funny. See pics below. Katrina loved them!

Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween weekend. (Luke is Batman but didn't have his cape or mask on in this picture - but my other ones are blurry- sad!). Friday we went to our small Magnolia village trick-or-treat event. We trick or treated a few stores and then had pizza with our friends Jeanne and Rich and their kids. After that we carved our pumpkin patch pumpkin into an awesome house. Bennett was so cute. As soon as Kurt carved the top off the pumpkin, Bennett turned it into a shape sorter toy and kept trying to fit the top back on. He also loved "helping" take the pumpkin guts out.


On Saturday we were invited to our friend's Nicole and James' house (close to us)for dinner and trick-or-treating. Both boys did such a great job trick-or-treating. At the first house the lady gave out full size candy bars and gave 2 to Bennett "because he was so cute". He had a big bag of M&Ms in one had and a Three Musketeers in the other. It was adorable. (And he did NOT want to put them in his pail!) Luke was awesome. He did a great job walking to each house and walking up the stairs. He would take one piece of candy (or maybe 2). Both boys tried to walk into almost every house but that was just cute, not annoying. We had so much fun (even Kurt said "this is so fun!"). For all those Republicans, we trick-or-treated Ron Reagan Jr's house. Who knew he lived so close! He was out front lighting the 10 or so pumpkins he carved. We talked about how we both disagree with our parents politics. Kidding about that last part (although we could have!).

Lots of developments going on here! Bennett has been running all over the place and climbing on EVERYTHING he can. He is 'shooting' baskets with Daddy and throwing a ball. The most exciting thing that he started at the beginning of October was to point. He points at everything now and I get so excited each time! He points in the super cute "hey look at that" way at planes in the ski, animals at the farm or his brother coming up the walk from the bus. It is so fun to see and I appreciate each and every point since it is such a great communicative developmental area! Woo hoo! Pointing at planes is his favorite. He points when he hears it and then we search the sky to find it. Both Kurt and I have noticed that he points and then we have to concentrate to hear the plane. He has great ears! He also has an obsession with shoes! He loves his shoes, my shoes, Luke's shoes, Kurt's shoes (which are a bit hard to carry).
Luke is still loving his school. He jumps up and down when the bus comes. His speech therapist emailed today to say that he did an awesome job discriminating between 2 PECS today. (See previous post about his therapy). I am considering getting him involved in some type of swim lesson (eventually!). He LOVES the bathtub. He gets so relaxed. He lays flat on this back and the water just covers his ears. I think he would lay there until the water got cold if I let him. It is sweet how happy he is there.