The DDA Trouble Free Zone

[dumby]

Don't faint. I made a shirt today for Dumby. Egads!

I really love this design. Thanks again Denise. You did a great job.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

CLARE - I forgot to say congrats on your trip in November. We had originally planned a return in November again, but due to school issues and anxiety on the part of DS11, we have decided on August instead. Darn, I would have liked to have met you there. If you need any help from this side of the pond, just let me know.

BECKY - Sorry to hear about your pizza oven accident. Burns are so painful. I can not imagine how people with serious burns survive the pain.

DENISE - Glad to see you back. Great shirt for Delinda. I may borrow it for August.

JENNIFER - Safe travels home and please let us know your good news when you get a chance. I am waiting to hear. Glad to know everything went well last semester. Good luck with the NICU this semester.

DEB - I was able to purchases L-Lysine at Target for my DS11 and his canker sores. The pharmacist was able to help me choose a dosage. Good luck to your son. (Supposedly if you take it daily, it helps prevent both canker and cold sores.)

GLYNIS - Have fun planning the two trips! It is so fun to know how much the kids will love it!

 

[marcij]

Can you believe that one girl who confronted him? Is she on drugs???

Oh my gosh -- she was nuts. For all you who didn't watch, she is a doctor!! Imagine seeing your doctor go crazy on TV over a guy she just met. She walked right back in after the rose ceremony and demanded to know from him why he didn't pick her! Which in my opinion, had to have reaffirmed in his mind why he let her go....

 

[Glynis]

you know - my week just hasn't been bad enough and now this happens:

my MIL called right before dinner tonight - she wanted to tell me something and didn't want to alarm me but she and her sister have noticed (independently of one another) that Julia has just stared off into space for a couple of seconds

so they have decided that they think she is having petite mal seizures. So I said - well I have never noticed anything like that and she says to me - well we do sit down with her and have independent play and one on one time with her - *** does this woman who sees my child every couple of weeks really think that she spends more one on one time with my child than I do? I realize that usually we have Nick running around but it still really upset me.

I went online and read about them and they say they happen 20-30 times up to 100 times a day - don't you think I would notice if 100 times a day my daughter spaced out like that? Luckily DH understands why I am so upset

my mom who spends WAY more time Julia says she has never noticed anything like that but thinks that out of respect for my MIL - I should take Julia to the doctor -

DH thinks we should be on the lookout for a few weeks and get an audiology test for Julia - as there are times when she will say to me - what I didn't hear what you said - she can get lost in what she is doing and there are times I feel like I need to snap her out of what she is doing to pay attention to me but not a vacant look more like she is absorbed in hat she id soing

does anyone know anything about these?

Kate - I'm so sorry that your MIL said this to you. I know that it really throws me for a loop when someone makes a comment suggesting that there is something wrong with one of my children. First of all, I would suggest that you take both your DH's and your Mom's advice. Keep an eye out for the next few days and really watch for what your MIL says she has seen. If you see anything out of the ordinary I would say then call your pediatrician and explain what's going on.

Isn't Julia 5 or 6? Sorry, I can't remember off the top of my head. If she is, it might not be a bad idea for her to get her hearing tested. My mother is a speech and hearing specialist, and always recommended kids get their hearing tested before starting school.

Most of all, just take a deep breath and reassure yourself that you are the best mom in the world for Julia and Nick. You know them better than anyone, and you need to do what you feel is right. All I have said are suggestions, and I hope they help. If you feel like what I've said is silly, by all means, toss it out, I won't be offended. Mother's have a special instinct when it comes to their children. Listen to those instincts and you'll be alright.

I hope you can find some peace with all this. If you need to vent, at least you have us, right? We are here for you.

 

[KristineN]

Ditto - now that Skunka has gone to bed... He is a diehard Pats fan. He had season tickets and sat in the freezing cold and they never won a home game. He moves back to New York and they start winning like there's no tomorrow.....

Anybody else see the connection???????

too funny...

 

[marcij]

Glynis -- very well said. Kate -- sending you lots of PD and prayers. It sounds like after your initial shock and frustration you've done some good research and with the help of your friends here have a plan started. No one should ever discount a mother's instinct. You spend the most time with Julia and Nick and know your children best. Let us know if you need anything.

 

[ksoehrlein]

Kate, are you sure you and I don't share family members somewhere along the line? When I was about 3 or 4, my aunt told my mom that she thought I was autistic. What? Nope, I just liked to listen to music and rock my little body along with the beat. But Auntie Dear had recently read a book, so she was suddenly the expert on all things related to autism. My rocking myself (not banging my head into anything, mind you) was a "sure sign" in her book (despite the fact that I interacted well with the adults and children around me and was a highly verbal kid).

Anyway, my point is: hang in there. Go with your instincts, like my mom did. From the way you describe Julia, I'll bet she just has moments where she's just very absorbed in her own imagination and doesn't focus on the real world around her at those times. Who could blame her when her interior world is so exciting? But for your piece of mind -- and to silence the worrywarts -- I'd probably mention their observations at her next check-up.

BTW, a hearing test may be standard at Julia's next check-up. I'm pretty sure Beth had one at her 4yo and/or 5yo check-up.

 

[Baloo]

orginally posted by Kate

as there are times when she will say to me - what I didn't hear what you said - she can get lost in what she is doing and there are times I feel like I need to snap her out of what she is doing to pay attention to me but not a vacant look more like she is absorbed in hat she id soing

OMG...I have a 12 yr old DS,a 12 ye old DSS I talk on the phone to three times a week and DH ..... this happens to me ALL the time!!

What your MIL said would make me upset too. I agree with Glynis keep an eye on her.I remember Erich getting his eyes and ears tested when he was about 4 or 5 with his yearly physical.Don't worry Kate you're a good Mommy and YOU know your kids best!


Denise...so nice to see you!! Hope everybody is getting better at your house!


Jennifer ...so happy to hear from you.I hope the interviews are going well!


Glynis...wow you have all sorts of Disney trips going on! Cool!


Cinderumbrella...I just LOVE that shirt...don't you have a pic of DH wearing it with your DD?


2diamonds&a~gem...GO COLTS!!! I grew up in Indiana!


orginally posted by Paul

You have a better chance of getting hit by lighting twice than seeing the Bears play ball on Feb 5th... lol

My DH Joe ,way before I met him , was struck twice in one summer!!!That was back in 1979...did the Bears go to the Super Bowl then?!


Well hello to everyone else

and night y'all...we're back to the school grind and no sleeping in anymore...darn it!

 

[julia & nicks mom]

 

[triplefigs]

That's great, Kate. LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But where's Squirt? Crush looks lonely without Squirt.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

My DH is partially deaf so my kids have had annual hearing checks since birth - Julia is due for one anyway so I will schedule it

Just so you all know -my MIL and her sister were both elementary teachers which is what gives her expertise on this topic

 

[disneyeveryyear]

KATE - Cute design.

As to Kate and MIL...my DN11 suffers from epilepsy and after it was diagnosed, DIL indicated that she had spoken to ped. about daughter seeming to "ignore" her. However, DN was sort of off in space. She was not engaged in an activity. I think you are the best person to observe Julia and her behavior. When she "doesn't hear you" is she engaged in other activities, or just looking at something? DN's were later classified as "focal seizures."

I am sure Julia will be just fine.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

Sorry Denise!!! I forgot you were partial to squirt

 

[tinker1bell]

My DH is partially deaf so my kids have had annual hearing checks since birth - Julia is due for one anyway so I will schedule it

Just so you all know -my MIL and her sister were both elementary teachers which is what gives her expertise on this topic

Kate,
Sometimes being the elder gives one the wisdom to impart experience. But I do agree that there is a time and place for one to say the things that we have seen over the past weeks that an elder has said. I know that I have heard things from my MIL that I just could not believe she would say. I would want to say to her "think, step back and consider what you are going to say" Remembering things she has said has made me think before I would tell her things now. When we told her that we were expecting our first child when I was only 4 weeks along and all she said was 'Are you sure?" made us wait for four months to announce the second child.
Steffy and I made a pact that if we ever got like some folks that say really unbelievable things, we would talk to the other even if it was a one-sided conversation. I have even told her ,,,please take me out in the woods so I do not hurt anyone with my words.
I also made a pact with myself that I would not interfere with my children and their raising their children, my grandchildren. I would call before I came over and just not drop in. If I was asked for advice, I would give examples and offer suggestions, but not press the point because they had to make the final decisions. So far, things have been great and I want to continue it that way. My grandchildren know their Omi and Opi and recognize where I work and get excited when I do come over or Opi calls on the phone but their life together is precious and I respect that.

I remember when I was young that I would 'space out' but that was just because I was so into reading that i was lost in my own world. I turned out fine and that may be the case with Julia, you know her the best. yes a hearing test is good but dont get stressed out over it until you speak to the Dr. let him decide what to check
We are here for you. keep us posted
Terry

 

[rosiejo]

There are links to sites with non-adhesive patches. Can you sew? Maybe you could make one.

Beth

Wow that could be a great idea - then she could have lots of different patterns and colours to match her outfits each day?

 

[rosiejo]

Julia is watching the Disneyland sing along songs

does anyone have this? There is a little girl about 7 or 8 with super curly hair and Julia tells me that is her and tells me all about when she went to Disneyland to be in the tape - that girl has quite an imagination!!

which is why yesterday I got very irritated with my MIL - we were at breakfast talking about the cruise and Julia was telling her she couldn 't wait and the only thing she didn't like was that Captain Hook was going to be in the kids club (Did I mention we have the cruise DVD and Julia watches it often) so I told her that we would make sure she was not in the club when he was there and then my MIL says:

Julia - you know Captain Hook isn't real - he is just a character - it is someone like Daddy dressed up in a costume pretending to be Captain Hook - characters aren't real

why doesn't she go ahead and tell her Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy don't exist either!! ***??!?!?

then today Julia said to me - mommy - are the country bears real or just in costumes

now I know that someday she will figure it out - but she immerses herself so completely in the Fantasy that I really don't think it was necessary for my MIL to tell her that - I would rather just let her figure it out on her own

Now I think it's your MIL who's been decived here - of course the characters are real!! We've all seen them haven't we? She'll get a shock when she meets them herself!

Seriously though - that's pretty harsh - could you not have a quiet word with her about it? Afterall if she's going to be on the trip with you it may come up again.

In the meantime we need to help Julia out with her hook fear. Make her a tee with an alarm clock on it - and tell her to make scissor actions with her arms when she sees him - like she's a crocodile and she's going to eat him - then he'll be scared of her instead! (Saw this at spectro - one of the CMs told the kids to do it and Hook acted along - real cute)

 

[rosiejo]

Hi everyone! I'm here.....

As I told some of you, I'm reading along and keeping up -- I just needed some time away.

I'm still in Baltimore, but we're coming home tomorrow evening after Kyle's interview (FINALLY!!!!!).

I have a lot to share about this trip (as we're FINALLY drawing near(er) to the freakin' end of the interview trail)... it's been an interesting one! It's going to have to wait until at least tomorrow though, because I don't have the energy tonight.

I've missed you all, and can't wait to get back in the thick of things!


PS -- Thank you all for the PMs. I appreciate you looking out for me! My "good news" is MUCH less exciting than it has become. Contrary to what some have thought, there are no babies on the way to this family! It was just something we were really excited about that night, but it came at a bad time to share on this thread! It has to do with residency, and I'll still tell when I tell you all the whole story of this trip! But really -- it's not that exciting

Have a great night, DDAs!

Hi Jen - glad you're back

Can't wait to hear all about your trip!

...and I was soooo sure it was another DDA baby

 

[rosiejo]

CLARE - I forgot to say congrats on your trip in November. We had originally planned a return in November again, but due to school issues and anxiety on the part of DS11, we have decided on August instead. Darn, I would have liked to have met you there. If you need any help from this side of the pond, just let me know.!

It's not quite in the bag yet but I think I'm almost ready to submit my research to DH for his approval

 

[rosiejo]

Sorry about the private posting party - but y'all asked for it being so chatty last night - and now I really have to go get ready for work!!!!

One question though... we have a 7 day magic your way pass with no expiration and water parks - how much to upgrade to an AP and does that get us free parking? (we're staying off site)

 

[MazdaUK]

"as there are times when she will say to me - what I didn't hear what you said - she can get lost in what she is doing and there are times I feel like I need to snap her out of what she is doing to pay attention to me "

Christian can get very absorbed in what he is doing. In Reception Year his teachers asked if he had a hearing problem (although they also said he puts his hands over his ears in music sometimes!) and I was able to say no, because we had his hearing checked as a tiny baby because I was worried he was not hearing. Turns out (like most men!) unless there's food involved he'll only pay attention to what interests him ;-) Then later in the year I got a letter calling him for a hearing test because he had not "ticked all the boxes" during the routine hearing test. So I trailed along the clinic - perfect hearing! He is a very determined character and if he's not in the mood to co-operate then he won't! (although he is getting better at realising that sometimes we have to do stuff we don't want to).

Our friend (DGF to both boys) is epileptic and had petit mal a few times when we've been with him. The main way to tell the difference is whether she carries on with what she's doing (in which case her busy little brain was plotting the next part of her game), or seems confused, or switches to a different activity. We noticed if he had a PM while playing Monopoly, he wouldn't always stare into space - he'd rearrange his money, then look up and go "What? Aren't you having a go?"

I'd say if worried then get her checked out - if only to say "boo sucks" to MIL if she's OK.

I'm off Jury Duty now so hopefully I'll be able to keep up