Six Months Today

The kids have been home 6 months today.

It was yet another speech evaluation. . . but we are now on the schedule for weekly speech with the hospital for one hour a week. It was kind of fun to tell the gal just how far they have come in the last 6 months. The first time I took the kids to speech 6 months ago I didn't know what  their capabilities were, I didn't know what kind of future to hope for them, I had no idea if I could ever expect them to communicate like other individuals. This time was different. I know they are capable. I know they will one day communicate clearly. I know how far they have come in a few short months. They have come SOOOOO far and I know they can progress very quickly to the next level.

I have the okay to move Missy downstairs.  We had a family counsel and discussed every possible combination of room mates possible... It's come down to Vanessa and Brianna rooming together. Missy in her own room and Christina in her own room. I need a piece of furniture, or two to make it work, but it has to happen soon. I'm dealing with some sibling  rivalry in the twin's room. The hardest adjustment for me in having the twins come to live with us has been in the first morning hours. The hours between 6 and 8. I need that time. It's my devotional time, and computer time and it's often the time I get my best work done...  in my pajamas. The big girls use that time similarly. The twins used to play quietly. Now they are fighting. Yesterday, Buster stomped on Missy's black and blue toe just to hear her scream. Later her jabbed her really hard. There is some jealousy, I think. Not sure what it's about. Something to do with being twins and the competition to be recognized first, I guess. I'm really working them over it, but I need those quiet hours in the morning where I can just not worry about what's going on in the bedroom. The minute I let them out of the room our day has to begin.

We sorted toys yesterday. I have a huge pile to get rid of. Don't know where they came from!! I bought a couple of big clear containers for Buster's race track and his train set. My sister brought him the Gears set, and a town set. He has his cars and trucks, puzzles and games. EVERYTHING else goes. For Missy she has her dolls and puzzles and dishes, and a big clear container of poly pockets. She's not so into toys which is good. Buster's hyper-focus on toys  is about to END! The sets are not in his room and to play with them will be a privilege earned. It's just not healthy the way things are going.

I found quite a pile of toys that carry the logo from the movie CARS. They are all going. We don't watch movies in this house. My girls grew up loving birds and flowers, leaves and snakes... They love simplicity and nature and the Bible. They have a ton of hobbies and love to learn. They are creative and musical.

WHO has time for tv?
TV is such a brain rotter and so are video games so we don't have any of it.

I can honestly say the girls have never seen a Disney movie or any of the like. And guess what? They have never missed them.

When the twins came they didn't talk too well, but they definitely let us know they knew about movies. Everything Buster came with had a CARs logo on it.... even his blankets, shirts, underwear, sock, whatever. Missy had Cinderella stuff. They didn't seem to know the names of many of the movie characters, but although they could not talk well, those names were in their brain because suddenly they know them all and they have not been exposed for a solid 6 months.

Yesterday Vanessa, the twins and I stopped at Walmart . The twins are drawn to Disney garbage like magnets. They know every name!!

It was "Squeal.... there's Sponge Bob, Oh mom, look!!! Toy Story. Hey I want this Spiderman thing.... "  I want, I want, I want...etc, etc...

What has society done to kids?

Vanessa was like, "YOU CAN't BRING THESE KIDS SHOPPING!!!"

No matter where we turned there was that garbage!! The desire to have it all is strong. The tv's were not too far from the container department, the towels, the pillows, the placemats, the lunchboxes, the clothes, the shoes were full of it.... and we never even went near the toy department!! I don't ever remember my girls being attracted to that stuff ever.

OH for the simple old days of the rag dolls and wooden blocks.