Awesome Facts About Levi
1. He never wears pants at home. Not even in winter. He just doesn't want to. I try to make him keep them on at least until the daycare kids go home, which most of the time I manage, but sometimes, he is just too persistent! He used to actually throw his pants in the garbage, but he doesn't do that anymore.
2. He says whatever he wants. One day he wanted to go to Wal Mart, but I told him we had to stop at Fareway first, and he said, 'son of a bitch!' The funny thing is, so much of his talk is so random, but 'son of a bitch' came out making perfect sense, and in context. Oh, he got in trouble, I don't just let him get away with it, but it was really hard not to laugh...
3. He has more of a social life than I do. He has friend nights with Jered two nights a week, and they go out to supper and go swimming! For those of you who haven't been lucky enough to meet Jered, he's a good time!!
4. He can imitate any language perfectly, and one time, his teacher was testing him on his counting, and she said, "I KNOW he can do this, but when I was actually testing him, he would only do it in Spanish..." HAHA! This was when he was 4!
5. He draws better than me. Especially cars...but he's getting really good with dogs (perros), cats (gato), and mice (raton).
6. He is probably the only person I know who has licked the conveyor belt at Wal Mart. He really enjoys licking things...this has kind of slowed down since he gave the soap a curious lick...
7. He still gets to ride in the cart at stores...and this will go on until I can't lift him in there anymore! Don't want him to run away!! He gets pretty independent!
8. He laughs more than anyone. Such tiny things are SOOO funny...I wish I laughed as much as him! He can watch the Geico commercials forever, and they are funny every time!
9. He can spin any object impressively. You just have to trust me on this one, it's amazing. Ask his teachers. He has to have 'spin time' scheduled into his day.
10. He has the sweetest singing voice ever...and once in awhile he will even sing a whole song all the way through without stopping, or getting stuck on one phrase...I just LOVE when he sings to me!
These are things that I look at and think of over and over again, especially when we have a period of time when things aren't going so well, like recently.
He's sick. I mean BAD ear infection and sore throat and coughing his little head off. To the point of puking. So...here's what happened.
First of all, my sister in law wanted to get my mother in law the best present ever. A FAMILY PICTURE! And honestly, that was an awesome idea. Now, I know Levi doesn't dig pictures, but I'm telling you, I truly thought I could mentally prepare him enough that he might not be SMILING, but he'd be...indifferent, at best. BOY was I WrOnG!
We decided on wearing black and white for the pictures, and everyone showed up looking sooo nice! I thought we did well picking out tops!! Well, Levi walked in and instantly got so worked up that he started coughing to the point of puking. So, needless to say, the picture is of thirteen people. Of those thirteen people, twelve are smiling, one is screaming, covering his ears AND his eyes. In my hand, is a wad of paper towels filled with his barf. :) I know, a lovely visual, right? I felt so bad. I felt bad I put him through that knowing how bad he was feeling, but I also felt SO bad for ruining my sister in law's amazing idea for her Mom's Christmas present! Ugh!!
This is when autism gets tough. First of all, had he not gotten himself that worked up, no barfing, right? So that wouldn't have been an issue. And, who knows what threw him. The fact he didn't feel good? The lighting? The sound of the building? Someones perfume? The camera? WHAT?? The truth is as it always is with Levi...I will probably never know. And, if Dawn and Judy are reading this, they are going to tell me NOT to be upset! They love Levi no matter what, and it is what it is, and no picture is worth it...and even though I know they mean that 100%, there is that part of me that feels so responsible for screwing things up...a feeling that kind of comes with the territory.
But, one night, I had this dream, that Levi was just your typical boy. He did everything like he was supposed to, he had 'normal' meltdowns and he could tell me what he was thinking, straight out....not in a roundabout way...and I didn't know him. Here was my little boy talking like every other little boy, and I didn't know him at all...and I realized that was because that isn't my Levi, and it never will be. I can say 'I've come to accept that' but the truth is, I have to accept it in different ways every day, almost. Every trial, every time something in our lives change, I have to accept it all over again in a different way. But I will always choose to accept that child for exactly who he is. No matter how frustrated I get at times, I have never wished that Levi was anything but himself, and I never will.
God made Levi exactly how he wanted him. And I was lucky enough to get to be his mommy. God also gave me two amazing boys, JT and Ben, who have had their own hurdles to jump, and have always done so with strength and determination. I am so proud of the children that God has entrusted to me and I hope that I can always be the mother that they need. I also pray that I can always be improving and always be insightful to the things they need, but cannot express.
If you are a mommy or a daddy, give your kids a hug tonight. Thank God for what you have been given, because children are gifts straight from God. So many people want them, and cannot have them for many reasons, so we need to remember to never take ours for granted, or wish for one second they are anything that they are not.
GOD DOESN'T MAKE MISTAKES.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
A Monday
One Monday morning, I woke up, stumbled into the bathroom, fell into the toilet because someone left the seat up, stabbed myself in the eye with my mascara wand, and tripped over a toy Levi left laying on the kitchen floor. Not slowing down, I ran into the boys' room, turned on their light, and told them to get up. Then I went out to the kitchen to make coffee...and my first children showed up for the day.
After their Mom left, I realized that it had been fifteen minutes since I made my first attempt at waking up the boys. So, I blinked thier light, and told them a little more firmly to wake up.
The next kids showed up, and after THEIR Mom left, I realized another ten minutes had gone by, making it roughly 7:20, and that the boys were still not up. So, I charged into their rooms and yelled at the top of my lungs for them to get up, which only recieved a quick 'thumb's up' from JT even though his eyes were still closed.
By this time, it was time to take my little potty training girl to the bathroom, which I did. I see the first of my own children stumble out of their room with his eyes half closed. So, I go through the normal routine, "Ben, did you take your pills? What do you want for breakfast? Don't forget to feed the dog." All of which recieved no response from my semi-comatose 14 year old, but a slight glare behind his eyes...which were still half closed.
Then I realize it's 7:35 and I go to charge into the boys' room to get Levi up, and find that the door is locked. SO, I yell through the door, "Is Levi up??!" and JT says, 'Mmhmm.' Ten minutes later JT emerges from the room, and I go to grab Levi, who now has about fifteen minutes to get ready for school, only to find that he has peed the bed. GREAT!
I lift Levi out of his top bunk, (yes, he weighs over 60lbs) and I haul him to the bathroom to take the fastest bath that has ever occurred in the Greenfield house. I hose him down, dress him quickly, and throw on his shoes, and try to coax him into breakfast. As I'm trying to get him fed, two more kids show up. I talk briefly with the parents, and say goodbye, only to realize that Levi's backpack is missing...his ride will be coming in less than 2 minutes! I fly around the house, and find the backpack, putting it on Levi just as his ride comes...
Then, JT and Ben realize, with about five minutes to spare, that they both need lunch money. Another kid shows up...I write two illegible checks and shove the two older boys out the door. Time to get the preschoolers out! I quickly throw on their coats and shoes, tying the last shoe just as thier ride shows up...
I go to take a sip of my coffee, which is now, of course, ice cold. I dump it and pour another cup. The phone rings. 23 minutes later, I hang up the phone and go to take a sip of my coffee, which is again, ice cold. I dump it and pour another cup. The baby starts to cry...time for a bottle! I throw the bottle together, and grab the starving baby, and feed her. 30 minutes later, she finishes up the bottle, and she is happy to go play. I go to take a drink of my coffee...and guess what? Ice cold. I dump it, and fill it up again.
Running to the laundry pile, I quickly switch loads and a fight breaks out in the living room. After a quick 'come to Jesus' speech to the daycare kids, I go and finish switching the laundry, and the baby gets fussy. Time for a nap!! I lay her down, and go to take a drink of my coffee...yep, it's true...ice cold. I abort mission and switch to diet pepsi.
After playing with the kids, making lunch, cleaning up and reading stories, it is time for nap. I am laying the children down when I get a phone call. My Levi showed up to school with NO UNDERWEAR on. I call in a reinforcement and fly to the school with the underwear in my pocket...how embarrassing! I did recieve a lovely laminated 'Mother Of The Year" award from the special education teachers and aides. The day was not wasted!! I asked them if there was to be an assembly for me in the gym, or if it was more of an 'informal' award...I didn't get an assembly. Maybe next time, right?
Then, Levi gets home from school, throws coat, shoes, socks, and backpack all over the living room floor, throws a fit, bites me, and then settles down, finally...and starts laughing...and laughing and laughing. And the men in this house think I am an emotional roller coaster...pahleeze!!
So, our daycare day winds down, and the kids start going home. John has decided supper should be swiss steak, so I head to the kitchen to prepare it. I slice my finger. I am one of those people who could hurt themselves with a cotton ball...
After making supper, and cleaning up, it's then time for bath (again) and homework with Levi. Then, all four of my guys need haircuts...I get that done and start folding the laundry...and folding, and folding and folding. I tell the boys to put their laundry piles away, only to walk into their rooms the next morning to see it all laying on the floor. Neat.
Finally!! Time to sit down in front of the TV!! Guess what I get to watch??? Football. :( *sigh*
I decide to go to bed, and realize that Levi has beaten me to my own bed and fallen asleep. I decide to snuggle up next to him only to wake up at 2:30 a.m. soaking wet...he peed the bed.
Bring on Tuesday!!
After their Mom left, I realized that it had been fifteen minutes since I made my first attempt at waking up the boys. So, I blinked thier light, and told them a little more firmly to wake up.
The next kids showed up, and after THEIR Mom left, I realized another ten minutes had gone by, making it roughly 7:20, and that the boys were still not up. So, I charged into their rooms and yelled at the top of my lungs for them to get up, which only recieved a quick 'thumb's up' from JT even though his eyes were still closed.
By this time, it was time to take my little potty training girl to the bathroom, which I did. I see the first of my own children stumble out of their room with his eyes half closed. So, I go through the normal routine, "Ben, did you take your pills? What do you want for breakfast? Don't forget to feed the dog." All of which recieved no response from my semi-comatose 14 year old, but a slight glare behind his eyes...which were still half closed.
Then I realize it's 7:35 and I go to charge into the boys' room to get Levi up, and find that the door is locked. SO, I yell through the door, "Is Levi up??!" and JT says, 'Mmhmm.' Ten minutes later JT emerges from the room, and I go to grab Levi, who now has about fifteen minutes to get ready for school, only to find that he has peed the bed. GREAT!
I lift Levi out of his top bunk, (yes, he weighs over 60lbs) and I haul him to the bathroom to take the fastest bath that has ever occurred in the Greenfield house. I hose him down, dress him quickly, and throw on his shoes, and try to coax him into breakfast. As I'm trying to get him fed, two more kids show up. I talk briefly with the parents, and say goodbye, only to realize that Levi's backpack is missing...his ride will be coming in less than 2 minutes! I fly around the house, and find the backpack, putting it on Levi just as his ride comes...
Then, JT and Ben realize, with about five minutes to spare, that they both need lunch money. Another kid shows up...I write two illegible checks and shove the two older boys out the door. Time to get the preschoolers out! I quickly throw on their coats and shoes, tying the last shoe just as thier ride shows up...
I go to take a sip of my coffee, which is now, of course, ice cold. I dump it and pour another cup. The phone rings. 23 minutes later, I hang up the phone and go to take a sip of my coffee, which is again, ice cold. I dump it and pour another cup. The baby starts to cry...time for a bottle! I throw the bottle together, and grab the starving baby, and feed her. 30 minutes later, she finishes up the bottle, and she is happy to go play. I go to take a drink of my coffee...and guess what? Ice cold. I dump it, and fill it up again.
Running to the laundry pile, I quickly switch loads and a fight breaks out in the living room. After a quick 'come to Jesus' speech to the daycare kids, I go and finish switching the laundry, and the baby gets fussy. Time for a nap!! I lay her down, and go to take a drink of my coffee...yep, it's true...ice cold. I abort mission and switch to diet pepsi.
After playing with the kids, making lunch, cleaning up and reading stories, it is time for nap. I am laying the children down when I get a phone call. My Levi showed up to school with NO UNDERWEAR on. I call in a reinforcement and fly to the school with the underwear in my pocket...how embarrassing! I did recieve a lovely laminated 'Mother Of The Year" award from the special education teachers and aides. The day was not wasted!! I asked them if there was to be an assembly for me in the gym, or if it was more of an 'informal' award...I didn't get an assembly. Maybe next time, right?
Then, Levi gets home from school, throws coat, shoes, socks, and backpack all over the living room floor, throws a fit, bites me, and then settles down, finally...and starts laughing...and laughing and laughing. And the men in this house think I am an emotional roller coaster...pahleeze!!
So, our daycare day winds down, and the kids start going home. John has decided supper should be swiss steak, so I head to the kitchen to prepare it. I slice my finger. I am one of those people who could hurt themselves with a cotton ball...
After making supper, and cleaning up, it's then time for bath (again) and homework with Levi. Then, all four of my guys need haircuts...I get that done and start folding the laundry...and folding, and folding and folding. I tell the boys to put their laundry piles away, only to walk into their rooms the next morning to see it all laying on the floor. Neat.
Finally!! Time to sit down in front of the TV!! Guess what I get to watch??? Football. :( *sigh*
I decide to go to bed, and realize that Levi has beaten me to my own bed and fallen asleep. I decide to snuggle up next to him only to wake up at 2:30 a.m. soaking wet...he peed the bed.
Bring on Tuesday!!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Bedtime Story
There once was a lovely maiden named Celeste.
She was being held hostage by a giant,
A two headed Monster...
And a Tasmanian Devil.
The maiden was being held hostage in a huge mountain of laundry. Every day she was expected to wash all of the laundry, fold it, and put it away, only to have it all ripped out of the dressers and thrown to the floor, so she could never tell what was dirty, and what was clean! So, she would have to wash it all over again. Fortunately, she did love the smell of Gain, but that was her only happiness. After she finished the laundry, she was forced to clean the most disgusting bathrooms ever. The Tasmanian devil was the worst culprit, always 'shaking it' just a little too early before he was actually done...leaving a mess for the maiden that required six pairs of rubber gloves and a HAZMAT suit.
Through it all, the maiden cared for the giant, the two headed monster, and the Tasmanian devil...because she was a maiden of very little brain. But she did always try to see the good in them, no matter how many tasks they made her complete.
She also worked a full time job, watching the kingdom's children. The children made the maiden happy, but alas, only added to hear never ending cleaning workload.
The maiden also was expected to do all the cooking. Supper was to be on the table as soon as the giant, the two headed monster, and the Tasmanian devil got home from a busy day of doing...well, she didn't know what they did! She was too busy doing laundry and cleaning bathrooms, cooking and working a full time job...wasn't she!!
One day, while she was in her mountain of laundry alone, she decided to sneak out to see if she could get a signal on her EnV Touch cell phone. She knew the giant would be upset due to overages, but she simply had to surf the web to see if there was anything else in the world, other than laundry, cooking, cleaning, children, the giant, the two headed monster and the Tasmanian devil.
She read of a land far away, where clothes were optional and disposable. Where maidens were wined and dined, and treated much differently than she was used to! She decided to email the King of this land, and ask for more information about this wonderful place! Was it for real?
Just as she hit 'send', she saw the giant coming over the hill, so she quickly dove back into her laundry pile, and completely forgot about the email that she had just sent...
A week later, there was a knock on the pile of laundry...and outside stood a pirate!!
The handsome pirate explained that he had been sent by the King of Disposable Clothesland to retrieve the maiden and bring her back with him, where she was to live happily ever after!! Never would she have to do laundry, cook, clean, or wear rubber gloves again! She would be treated like a queen by the handsome pirate, and would spend the rest of her days surrounded by riches of every sort...
Just as the maiden was about to leave with the pirate, she suddenly came to a realization. She LOVED the giant, the two headed monster, and the Tasmanian devil! Maybe, she was already rich in a much deeper way!! She knew they loved her, too, but just did not know how to show it, as they were indeed, a giant, a two headed monster, and a Tasmanian devil...
So, as the pirate sailed away, the maiden turned and walked back into the mountain of laundry, and saw that the Pirate had left her the most wonderful gift of all.
A CASE OF RUM!!
The End.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Disappear
At conferences last night, I came across a 'lady' that has had a very negative impact in my life. The second she came into view, I just got this feeling...like, I wanted to either turn around and head the other way, slink into an empty hallway, slither off into a corner until she'd passed...just disappear so I didn't have to give my 'faux' smile, and act like I thought I was good enough to breathe the same air as her...but in reality, I don't! I don't feel like I'm good enough to clean her toilets...and it just kind of made me wonder, as it often does, why on EARTH I let people make me feel that way about myself!
I have struggled my whole life with my self image. I think a lot of people do, but one look from this 'lady' can make me feel bad about myself for an entire week. In high school, there was always 'those girls'. The beautiful, perfect, talented, always-have-a-gorgeous-date, amazing, stylish girls, who you stood next to and felt like a complete toad. I was more of the mousy-haired, dress on a budget, too short, too fat, too hyper, too loud, and too dramatic girl that people tried to avoid due to my annoying nature. Oh, sure, I was fun to stuff into a locker or put on the top of the pop machine and have to sit there and wait until Mr. Penning got me down...it was fun to pick up my golf-ball sized car and move it across the parking lot so I'd look like even more of an idiot when I couldn't find it...(thanks to the football team)...and even though people probably did a lot more laughing AT me than WITH me, I was unable to change any of myself, even though I desperately wanted to!! I just wanted to be one of those amazing girls...but alas, it was not in the cards. I am relatively happy BEING me, so my question, as it always is, is WHY do I give these people who make me feel bad so much power???
The 'lady' from last night, as an example, is someone whose friends don't even like her. If you mention her name, immediately eyes start to roll, and you'll hear things like, "Oh, HER..." It is clear, that she isn't the nicest person on earth, in fact she is a very selfish woman, and I'm not saying this to be vicious, it's just that it is very clear that SHE is the one who is not happy... and yet I place all this power in her hands, one glare from her and I'm re-evaluating my entire existence...why?? Because she is thin and beautiful, I feel that she is better than me in every way? Is the world really that shallow?
I so admire my husband sometimes, because he is one of those people who could care less what anyone else thinks. He doesn't just say he doesn't care, he truly doesn't. He does what he wants and when he wants (within reason) and I don't think he ever stops and thinks, 'gee, I wonder what this person thinks of me?'...I am so jealous of that because I am constantly wondering what others are thinking of me...when in all actuality, they probably aren't thinking anything at all!! I'm really NOT that important!
Anyway, why don't you think it over, and let me know if you ever feel this way...and if you have any fabulous ideas on how NOT to give the negative people in our lives the power to hurt us...because I really struggle with it!
And, then maybe some night we can go over and egg that lady's car...you know, theraputically...teehee!
I have struggled my whole life with my self image. I think a lot of people do, but one look from this 'lady' can make me feel bad about myself for an entire week. In high school, there was always 'those girls'. The beautiful, perfect, talented, always-have-a-gorgeous-date, amazing, stylish girls, who you stood next to and felt like a complete toad. I was more of the mousy-haired, dress on a budget, too short, too fat, too hyper, too loud, and too dramatic girl that people tried to avoid due to my annoying nature. Oh, sure, I was fun to stuff into a locker or put on the top of the pop machine and have to sit there and wait until Mr. Penning got me down...it was fun to pick up my golf-ball sized car and move it across the parking lot so I'd look like even more of an idiot when I couldn't find it...(thanks to the football team)...and even though people probably did a lot more laughing AT me than WITH me, I was unable to change any of myself, even though I desperately wanted to!! I just wanted to be one of those amazing girls...but alas, it was not in the cards. I am relatively happy BEING me, so my question, as it always is, is WHY do I give these people who make me feel bad so much power???
The 'lady' from last night, as an example, is someone whose friends don't even like her. If you mention her name, immediately eyes start to roll, and you'll hear things like, "Oh, HER..." It is clear, that she isn't the nicest person on earth, in fact she is a very selfish woman, and I'm not saying this to be vicious, it's just that it is very clear that SHE is the one who is not happy... and yet I place all this power in her hands, one glare from her and I'm re-evaluating my entire existence...why?? Because she is thin and beautiful, I feel that she is better than me in every way? Is the world really that shallow?
I so admire my husband sometimes, because he is one of those people who could care less what anyone else thinks. He doesn't just say he doesn't care, he truly doesn't. He does what he wants and when he wants (within reason) and I don't think he ever stops and thinks, 'gee, I wonder what this person thinks of me?'...I am so jealous of that because I am constantly wondering what others are thinking of me...when in all actuality, they probably aren't thinking anything at all!! I'm really NOT that important!
Anyway, why don't you think it over, and let me know if you ever feel this way...and if you have any fabulous ideas on how NOT to give the negative people in our lives the power to hurt us...because I really struggle with it!
And, then maybe some night we can go over and egg that lady's car...you know, theraputically...teehee!
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