Jon Stewart on The Blame Game (VT Tragedy)

Homeschool socialization

QOTD: April 26, 2007

From Ashlyn (early morning Thursday, as she was still awake and acting very silly):

"Mama...if I have an armpit...do I also have an asspit?"

Recent happenings, and interests

Lately I keep screwing around with the template here at A Beautiful Child. I like the look of s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d-out pages, but there are so few color choices that I keep putting other standard-sized themes back in. Hopefully, I'll stay here (with this theme) for a bit. When the blog loads and everything is all squished together, it just gives me a headache.

So, here's a quick summary of various interests around here:

Loryn: Way into Bob the Builder lately. Thank God for Sprout TV (and DVR)!

Loryn has had a good couple of days, though we're not making much progress with the potty training. Poop issues are getting better, though, and I'm thinking our healthier diet is helping that along. I've been researching a couple of very strict diets (Specific Carbohydrate Diet and GFCF), but am undecided as of yet which one to go with, or whether to go with one at all. There is just too much info available online. Each diet/therapy/specialist claims to be the be-all, end-all...the "answer to your prayers"!

*snort* Like I pray!


OK...back to the other kids.

Ashlyn: Is busy memorizing multiplication facts, and Chinese characters. She likes to write several lines on a little notepad, then read them off, over and over. No rhyme or reason...she'll just write 11 x 3 = 33, 7 x 8 = 56, etc. The Chinese characters she's picked up from a Chinese calendar we have, and some old Manga books. She's also been playing some PS2 games, especially Smackdown VS Raw 2007, and loves a DS game we got for Easter called Cooking Mama.


Tori: Reading lots of books (The Dark Hills Divide series, also Eva Ibbotson's Witch books). Shelby has banned Tori from reading anymore Harry Potter until she reads some other books first. Tori does tend to read the HP series all the way through, then start right back from the beginning of the series. ;-) This bothers Shelby, for some reason, hence the "NO Harry" rule for a while. Tori is also playing lots of Rune Scape and Maple Story. Lots of discussion about money here lately, as Tori has been blowing through Nexon cash cards left and right, buying "accessories" for her Maple Story character (and pet).



Shelby: Still into Manga (all things Japanese, really), reading, knitting, teas, and music. We've been playing around with shooting our own videos lately, you've probably seen some here already. Shelby wants to start getting up early to run, but hasn't managed to get up "early enough" yet. (She's shooting for 6:30...I have no idea why). We did just join the local YMCA, and Shelby and I are both looking forward to Yoga classes, exercise equipment, swimming, etc. Her taste in music is impressive (even to ME, self-proclaimed music junkie that I am!) and we've been watching some pretty neat things on Netflix (like The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and the DVR (I recorded Janis, a documentary about Janis Joplin, also Awesome! I F'in Shot That!
a live performance shot by audience members at a 2004 Beastie Boys concert at Madison Square Garden). I've got concerts by The Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded, and I've saved future episodes of the Storytellers sessions (Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, and The Dixie Chicks).

I love that we're all able to delve so deeply into what we're passionate about. We learn so much by following our passions and interests, and that is truly what Unschooling is all about.

What American City are You?

You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. You're totally weird and very proud of it. Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way. Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

What American City Are You?

QOTD: April 22, 2007

This is my own question of the day. I may begin a series of QOTDs from my own kids, but for today (first in the series...yay!), this is my own question.

Disclaimer: I don't know that every single QOTD will even have an answer. But I welcome your comments here whether you have an answer or not.

QOTD #1: Can Autism ever be cured, or is it simply hidden? That is: does training a child to act normally qualify as a cure for Autism?


BTW, just who's definition of normal are we using, anyway? ;-)

Here's some interesting reading, if you're so inclined. Not to say that I agree with everything written here, but it is thought-provoking, and I do tend to follow much of his logic. Interesting sidenote: Simon Baron-Cohen, the author of this paper, is a first cousin of Sacha Baron-Cohen, of Borat and Ali G. fame.

Tonight: Autism Awareness, on TV

Really short notice BUT...since April is Autism Awareness Month (and because several of us are home/unschooling kids who are on the spectrum), I wanted to let you all know about a couple of TV shows airing tonight.



Tonight, on BBC America (8:00): After Thomas


Also, tonight on Nickelodeon (8:30) Private Worlds: Kids and Autism



The Nick news bit is hosted by Linda Ellerbee, and there's a short bit of
the show on the link above. I'm Tivo-ing them both.

In the video clip, Linda Ellerbee says, "Autism is not a mental illness, it's not a choice, and it's not contagious'. Especially pertinent now that Cho Seung-Hui's family has revealed that he may have been Autistic.

Chicken Wars!

My unschooled 13 year old (Shelby) and her friend Erin, wrote (?) and acted (??) in this little video.

No, they weren't on any medication. ;-)

It's hard to tell, but the things they're hitting each other with are inflatable chicken legs from KFC.

I don't know where they got the idea, or WHY they got this idea, but here it is, for all to see.

Maybe the girls will write an ongoing series, much like the Lolo dancing vids I've been posting as of late.

Lolo (again) and Late-Night BSing

The "BSing" above refers, of course, to Penn and Teller's Bullshit, on Showtime. We love this show.

This week was about the BS of Exorcisms. Boy, people can be dumb. I thought that the guys would make mention of the 8 year old Autistic boy who suffocated during a church's "exorcism" back in 2003, but the show was more about the general Bullshit crazy "ministers" and what a joke it all is.

I don't know...it's a great show, and all of us watch it. But Lolo especially enjoys it!

Loryn enjoys Gnarls Barkley, too!

More dancing, this time to Gnarls Barkley's Transformer.

Gone Daddy Gone

Here's a short clip of Lolo dancing to Gone Daddy Gone, by Violent Femmes. Not great video, but I was proud that I shot it (and uploaded it) myself! Next time we'll check the lighting. I'm thinking a whole series of the kids dancing would be cool.

I see Lolo's spirit, when she dances.

Whether you're a Hokie or not

I attended Radford University, just down the road from Virginia Tech, from 1991-1993.

I am still not able to fully grasp everything that's happened, and I don't have the words to express the confusion, sadness, and anger that I feel. My girls are confused, and looking to me for answers, and I have none.

My heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy.

More Cowbell!

Dave quit his job on Wednesday, came home and was off for the rest of the week. This is HUGE for us, as he is used to working some downright crazy hours. I've often said if we didn't home/unschool, he would never really spend much time with the kids. It was really nice to have him home with us for 4 whole days!

He started a new job today, and I'm really happy for him. So, to show my love and appreciation, (and to start his day out right), this is for him. Love ya, babe.

Mission: Potty Training

I'll just go ahead and get this out of the way: If anyone reading here has experience toilet-training little almost-5-year-old-Autie kids...I NEED HELP! Advice is most welcome, as well as "Been there, done that" stories.

And drugs! Um, I mean...medication, is always welcome. Legal or not-so-legal. No questions asked.

Step 1: I went to Wal-Mart today and bought most of the size 4 and 6 panties I could find for Loryn. Yes, I bought Barbie and Disney Princess crap, but hey...that's all I could find. Maybe I should have looked at the boys section, to see if they had Bob the Builder or Thomas the Train?

Shit...strike one.

But, she does seem to like the Princess panties. She wore a pair for several hours today, with no complaints. This is BIG for Lolo...she craves the security of a diaper, I think, and so when we tried panties before, she would bring me a diaper and frantically waves it in my face, wanting to put it on so she could pee or poop.

Step 2: I also bought a new potty-chair. At this point, I really hesitated to do so. Loryn actually sits on the toilet seat when I'm in the shower, so I know she can reach the toilet with no trouble. Still, I thought we might need a smaller seat for her to be *really* comfortable with the whole toilet-training saga, so I bought a new seat. No bells and whistles, but it has a really soft little toilet ring, and a lid, and it's CLEAN. Did I mention we already have a very plain, old, and pretty dirty potty-chair? But this new one has a FROG sticker, so that makes it better, right?

RIGHT?

I'll keep you posted. With several of us fighting colds (including the subject of this little experiment) it may be a bad idea. But I've just got to give it another try. You know why?

Two words: Shit fist.

If you've never felt the sheer joy of cleaning up a screaming kid's shit-covered hands and arms, well boy-howdy...you just haven't lived!

I really need to do this more...

but you know how it goes. It can be difficult to make time for the things that give you peace (blogging, writing, cooking, sex, what-have-you), when the shit is hitting the fan.

Rough couple of weeks here lately. Some days none of us can get "in the groove" of our day. Seems as if two of us are relatively satisfied, usually one or two others are in a funk. And who knows what is causing the funk? Certainly not Mama. :-(

Of course, most of the issues revolve around Loryn. Sometimes (most of the time, unfortunately), I put her happiness over anyone else's. Way over my own, at least. I try to be fair to the other girls, but it can be so draining when dealing with just Loryn's wants and needs. Those are the days I just feel like I have nothing else to give. Little tokens of appreciation and love help, but the sad fact is I'm not able to just BE with Shelby, Tori, and Ashlyn...not the way my heart and soul are wanting to.

And, of course, writing this makes me feel like shit. The last time I wrote about Loryn, (her Autism, the tantrums, the fear and confusion Dave and I have a lot of the time), the next day she got sick. Throwing up, high fever, etc.

Mama guilt? Yep, big time.

I am supposed to be participating in a Writing Group that some of my homeschooling Mama friends have formed, but this past week was the first time I actually went to one of the meetings. I even brought a piece I had written, that was chock-full of angst, depression, anger, and self-pity. I scrawled and scribbled out this 3 page bit after a particularly bad day with Loryn, and after I saw (on my state-wide homeschooling Yahoo group) a post from a Mom who is thinking of homeschooling her 6 year old daughter, but doesn't know how she'll keep from going crazy!!??!!


WTF???



Goddess, help me. If I knew this lady, I might have smacked her. ;-)

I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel, though. I got away for a couple of hours today (to the library by myself and to get my hair cut), and tonight Dave and I had a date night (we went to see Grindhouse, and it was awesome, of course!). When we got home, Loryn was just an angel. She has been super-sweet all night, and was even good for Granddad and Shelby while we were gone! Neither Dave nor I could remember the last time we went to the theater by ourselves. It must have been years.

Anyway, I promised Loryn, and myself, that I will be a better Mama. It's a promise I've got to make to all of my girls. Dave is off this weekend (he starts a new job Monday, BIG news here at home), so I hope I can take the girls out for a bit by ourselves. (Methinks a trip to Anime Hut is in our immediate future)! I really need to gather myself, and really be present for all of my children.

About the piece I wrote for the Writer's Group...I may post it here someday, but it's pretty depressing. I don't know how I'll feel knowing it's OUT, not tucked away safely in my journal. And I am fearful that people may think I really am a terrible Mom. The good news is that writing all of that shit out on paper seems to have helped me feel OK inside. I cried and scribbled, cried some more and scribbled some more, and it seems to have been a healing experience for me. So that's good, right?

I'm so excited!

My first video uploaded to YouTube!

This is a clip my friend Dan shot of Loryn, dancing to the Bullshit theme song. Lolo loves this show (more for the theme song than any other reason, though this particular episode was about breast hysteria!). Anyway, she just started dancing to the theme song, so I played it again and Dan got out the camera.

That's me dancing on the couch. I was in PJs, hence the bouncing tits. :-)