The Non Jumping Bean

It worked!

The mess of beans on my table, the duck tape, it was all worth it. My kids in the office had a great experience with the weighted lap blanket I made. Most children who cannot sit still and are constantly moving sat still for a longer period of time with the blanket. I had a 7 year old who even wanted to take it home with him.

Unfortunately the child I really had in mind when I was making it, it did not work so well for. He liked it for a few minutes then took it off. But maybe slow steps.

Overall, I am happy with my home creation, and so are my little office kiddos. Now if I just had the patience to make a large blanket for our house.

Beans and a Blanket

I have been searching the Internet for weighted blankets and weighted lap blankets for not only our house but for my office. Wow, are they expensive! Well, I got on my "I want it now" kick, not wait a week or two, so I became a little creative and started constructing my own weighted lap blanket.

I ran to Walmart and got a 6 pound bag of beans, and some fancy duck tape, because no project is complete without a little duck tape. Then I took a pillow case and cut two sides and evenly placed the beans in sacks.

Beans were all over, I had a little extra help from my little "crafty girl" as she calls herself.

When all was evenly dispersed and taped up so beautifully, my husband gave it a try...
and he liked it, in fact the whole family liked it.

I tried it out on a boy in my office who has a difficult time sitting still, he will go from one spot to the next the whole session, but was able to sit still with this lap blanket on. The pressure seems to really ground them.

The pressure also works great for tantrums, those that totally like to cover themselves up with blankets or stuffed animals, places where sitting is a must (church, homework etc) and can help with winding down at bed time.

My self constructed lap blanket will get some more use today in my office. So excited to see how well it works particularly with one little boy.

Merry Christmas To All

What is Christmas Eve without one of our little asthmatics needing a breathing treatment. Right in the middle of opening presents (yes, we open presents on Christmas Eve then Santa comes in the morning) she starts clearing her throat and coughing in true asthmatic style. Her cheeks even turned bright red which was strange.

My mom blamed it on playing in the rain 3 days ago. I swear when it comes to her grandchildren all her practical nurse skills go down the tubes.

Hopefully we will stay out of the Nightime Pediatric children's urgent care tonight.

ADHD Lead to Good Thing

Carson had a violin solo and did fabulous. He was well prepared and excited to play for everyone. He managed to play his two songs mistake free even though his focus and attention seemed to wander, as he looked around all the audiences smiling faces.

After everyone performed, all the violin soloists came back up to take a final bow together. Surprise, surprise, Carson was not really paying attention and was supposed to be taking the final bow with the rest of the group. But it's distractions like this just might lead to a good thing......

Like a beautiful picture like this......

Not So Good

So this whole "just breathe" things really did not work. I gave it a valiant effort and tried it for a few days.

But I just totally came unglued when a doctor was more worried and upset that I had inverted two letters in his name, while I was trying to explain to him a number of mental health concerns I had for a young boy whose mother was at her wits end.

Let me see, an unintentional mis- spelling, or the welfare of a young child, hmmmm. There should be no question, and there is no question in my mind. Priorities I guess.

If only the world could think more like me this whole "just breathe" thing might actually work (so narcissistic of me I know, I just can't help it today. Don't mess with kids).

Breath

Just breathe..........

That is what I plan on doing today.

I will just breathe (and maybe say a prayer) before I wake up Adeline to get dressed for school, our daily battle and meltdown time.

I will just breathe at the drive thru Starbucks line that I cannot believe I wait in almost every morning.

I will just really deep breathe before I enter my moms house to pick up all the holiday crafts that she and the children have completed as holiday gifts for teachers.

I will just breathe as I make a return to Target and head to Walmart so I can get a better deal.

I will just breathe when Adeline comes home from school and wants to pull out every craft project in the world and is a whirlwind of activity.

I will just breathe while I attempt to put laundry away, get dishes done and whatever other household tasks have been neglected over the past few days.

I will just breathe at the run down skating rink tonight, where my kids have a blast and we all come out to support my sons school.

I will just breathe before I start my work week. I seem to be having a stint at work where everyone is remembering their appointments, and needs more time then I feel I can give them. I remember the rash of "no show" clients just a few months ago, and now it is totally opposite. I knew that would happen when my company changed my contract.

Finally tonight I will just breathe in bed, taking deep breaths of "good" in and blowing out the "bad" like another late night run to the children's urgent care for little Mr. Asthmatic.

Heres to breathing!

Non Neurotypical

So it seems to me that a neurotypical person can sit down and address all their holiday cards in one sitting, and take them out to their mail box. Process complete. For me, Ms. Non Neurotypical it is a process and adventure to get holiday cards in the mail. I started this project last week and it is still not complete. I addressed as many as I had addresses for on my iphone, spent some time looking in a number of places where I could possible have more addresses (because every year I swear I am going to make one central list). I also spent some time with three family members on the phone, who yet again have to provide me with some addresses. I have them all addressed and they are in the car, and have been sitting there for two days waiting for me to stop and buy stamps. Buying stamps should not be that big of a deal, but I am sure I am not alone in my holiday card adventure. So if you are a recipient of my card, just pretend that it says "Happy New Year" instead of "Happy Holidays."