Funny Little Karsten

Karsten is so funny. I take Seth to the Maryland School for the Death for their Infant/Toddler program. Siblings are allowed to join as well. So I tell Karsten he gets to go to a new preschool. He will join the older children in their group. I tell him it will be a deaf preschool. He leaves the room and goes in his room and I hear him say, "I don't want to go there." He then comes back into my room and says, "but Mom, I can hear." That made me laugh. So I explained to him that it didn't matter, he would learn to sign like the rest of the children and he would have fun. Needless to say, on Friday, he had a fun time and he calls it his "deaf preschool". When I walked into the class on Friday they were playing a game in the gym. It was the quietest group of kids playing a game that I've seen! From what I can tell, there are about three others with hearing aids, so they have some level of hearing, one girl had a cochlear implant, and the others I assume are completely deaf? There were a couple of parents there who were deaf as well. A couple of the teachers are deaf as well, so because we are new and don't sign very much at all, one of the teachers interprets for us. The school teaches both ways of speech, the speaking and listening side and the signing side. Seth was either practicing waving or the sign for milk the other day. Or perhaps he was just checking out his fingers! Every Saturday I drive down to Alexandria VA for Seth to see a private speech teacher. She is very good. I am so surprised at how well Seth listens and responds to her. He does things for her that I never thought he could do! I wish she could come just live with us! She is definatley talented and I try to rationalize that even though it's such a far drive, it will be worth it in the end. I hate accidents. That's the worst part of the drive. Accidents back up traffic so bad and makes the drive so much longer. I only made one wrong turn this last trip out! I'm getting better!

Karsten has started reading the Dick and Jane books. I love those books. I always grab one if I see a copy at the thrift store. He is very good at reading. He loves to read Funny Little Sally. And Puff, the cat. It's amazing what words they can remember. I've done some sounding out words with him as well, like cat, hat, sat, etc. He's also starting to learn basic addition. I will miss him when he leaves for Kindergarten! He's been a joy to have at home with me!

On a Political Note

Ok, usually I'm not that vocal when it comes to politics. I'll admit, I'm clueless on a lot of things, either because I don't know what is going on or that I don't know that facts about what is going on. So, I'm trying to change that. One great tool in deciding whether we are going the right direction in regards to the government is to study history! The following quotes were made by Ezra Taft Benson in 1961 during General Conference. Although at the time the fight was against communism, I think we can see the same thing happening in our time.

Today the devil a

s a wolf in a supposedly new suit of sheep's clothing is enticing some men, both in and out of the Church, to parrot his line by advocating planned government guaranteed security programs at the expense of our liberties. Latter-day Saints should be reminded how and why they voted as they did in heaven. If some have decided to change their vote they should repent-throw their support on the side of freedom-and cease promoting this subversion.

No true Latter-day Saint and no true American can be a socialist or a communist or support programs leading in that direction. These evil philosophies are incompatible with Mormonism, the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

So what do I think in our day this has regards to? Government run health care.

Please check out the article yourself, there's a ton in there.

http://search.ldslibrary.com/article/view/121550

Alex's birthday!

So, for Alex's birthday he got a tricycle! Grandma and Grandpa Stailey also flew in from Utah, which was a surprise to the children. It was a great week having them here, even though a few of us got sick!

Seth

I finally figured out how to do the blue eyes on my camera, Sarah!

Turning Twelve!

I got a phone call from the executive secretary for the ward today to set up an appointment for Alex to have an interview with the Bishop. He's turning twelve! I cannot believe it! He can also go to the temple to do baptisms now. I remember turning twelve, how can I have a son who is that old now? He only has one more Sunday in Primary and he reminded me of that today as we were leaving church. He is excited to pass the sacrament. I wonder how his first Sunday will go? He'll also be joining the Young Men and will go on all their activities.

A funny note about Alex: last night when we went trick or treating it was very warm, 71 degrees with 89% humidity. Alex was dressed as Walker, Texas Ranger. He had a black cowboy hat, a dark button up shirt, his badge, and a pair of red shorts! I told him Walker never wears shorts, but he insisted on wearing them, especially with the warm weather we were having!

I Can Guarantee He is Not Always Hungry

Alex has Prader-Willi Syndrome. People with this syndrome are said to have an insatiable appetite and put on weight rapidly. While the rapid weight gain is true, the insatiable appetite is in question. We attended a conference where a study was done and their finding lead them to believe that they do not have an insatiable appetite, merely they are seeking out food because it brings them pleasure. I find this true with many things Alex does. If he likes something, he wants to do again and again and will use the event in his make believe play. For example, church. He loves everything having to do with church. He's obsessed with the Mormon Tab. He plays church with his Little People and every Sunday sits in his room and sings the Hymns. So in the case of food, food definatly brings people pleasure and they seek that out, and because of this we've mistakenly assumed that they have an insatiable appetite. Disclaimer: this is not a theory that is accepted by the PWS Association. This is merely a new theory. But I totally believe it to be true. Besides the research that was done, I have my own proof. On the counter sits eight bananas. Alex will not touch them because they have brown spots on them. He only eats bananas that do not have brown spots. I will not lock those bananas up and I can guarantee they will be there in the morning. Now if Alex was really starving all the time and would eat anything, I would expect him to eat those bananas. But he doesn't and he never has.

Sunday

Sunday mornings usually aren't too crazy around our house, well except maybe for today. I was taking my time getting ready for church this morning (we start at 9) because I have the help of the greatest guy ever! Well, at 7 this morning, the hospital calls in him because they are short nurses. So Todd has to leave and I'm left to get the kids ready to go on my own. The girls are pretty good at helping, so that was good. I'll admit, I am not that great at keeping this house together. Somewhere in the mass chaos of my life, Alex's white shirt did not get washed. Of course he doesn't say a word about this to me. He takes his shirt and sticks it in the washer, 15 minutes before we have to leave! So as I'm hollering at everyone to head to the van and asking Alex why he's not dressed, he tells me his shirt is washing. I tell him he's going to have to wear something else, and of course this is not possible. He pulls his shirt out of the washer and puts it in the dryer and I tell him I'm just going to have to leave him and come back later and get him. He's crying now and doesn't like this, but what do you do? I play the organ for Sacrament and by now it's a quarter to nine, fifteen minutes later than I usually leave. So we just leave him. I was thinking the whole way to church that I'll just ask someone else to play. I arrive and no one that I know who can play is there, so I just begin to play prelude. Oh, and I have to say, there's this sister in our ward, Rose, who watches after Seth for me when Todd is not there, and she is such an angel! Seth actually doesn't fuss too much when she has him. With anyone else he just cries the whole time! So I'm playing prelude scanning the audience to see if the three people I know who can play organ are there yet. No one yet and it's getting closer to the start of the meeting. I decide that I'll just play the opening and sacrament hymns and then go get Alex. Today was the Primary Sacrament Program and Alex had a part so I knew I needed to get him for that. The whole time I'm playing I'm also praying that Alex didn't decide to walk as he'd have had to cross a six lane road to get to the church! I was also hoping he wouldn't be too mad not to come to church with me when I went to get him! So after the sacrament hymn, I slip out the door and drive home to get Alex. We live maybe 2 minutes away from the chapel. When I arrive Alex is dressed and waiting! I was so happy I didn't have to fight with him! When we got to the church, Alex wouldn't go into the chapel. He just stood by the back door to the chapel until it was his turn to say his part. I missed Kate's talk at the beginning, but I did get to hear the other three children. It started out crazy, but turned out to be fine! And what's even better is that during Sunday School Todd arrived! They let him come home! It's going to be a great Sunday after all!

There's this guy in our ward who is mentally handicap, I'm not sure what he has, but every time he comes up to me and sees me holding Seth, he always comments on how bright Seth's light is shining! I love that! One angel talking to another!