Re: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

December 4, 2006

Good Morining!

Checking in, Tara is doing well being included in a regular, 1st grade classroom...........although it is alot of work on my part, keeping the district on it's toes, making sure the modifications are appropriate and working for her. We'll have our next Team meeting after the new year.

Gail, Mom to Bobby 12, Jillian 10, & Tara (Ds) 7 1/2

December 4, 2006

Hi, Everyone!

My little ones are 18 months, 23 months

(DS) and 23 months (DS) old…and they seem to be sick ALL the time now

that the weather is colder. They do well through the summer, but in late

fall everything gets messy. Their noses run all the time. Every

time they seem to be ALMOST better, someone gets worse again and we are in for

another 2 week bout. They don’t have bacterial infections, just

nasty colds. Does anyone have any advice?

We make sure they eat healthy and get

enough rest. We also run an air purifier.

We keep them out of nurseries and child

care situations where they might pick up nasty bugs. I’m starting

to wonder whether that makes any difference. J Of course, maybe

we would be the ones giving out the nasty bugs.

I’m also wondering if anyone else

struggles with cabin fever. Even when we are able to go out (no therapy

appointments), someone is sick so we tend to stay home. If I didn’t

have a 14 year old to help keep a little one or 2 when I run an errand, I don’t

think I’d ever breathe fresh air. J I hate to run

errands in the evening when my husband is home, but that’s what usually

ends up happening.

I love my life with these little ones,

there are just a couple of things that make life tricky now-a-days.

Enjoy this Christmas season, everyone!

God Blesss,

From:

Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ]

Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006

11:06 PM

To: Multiples-DS

Subject: Check-in

Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

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December 4, 2006

Hello all! We're just cruising right along this holiday season. Got all our decorating up this weekend and even managed to get alot of the shopping done. Braden is really doing well. Gotta have a proud mommy moment here - he is reading! He has about twenty sight words now. The sentences are simple but I'm so very proud of him. Sure wish I could go back in time to that first week the twins were born... If only I coulda known then what I know and feel now.

Merry Christmas to all of you - Bethany mom to Allie 11, Cameron 7, Grant and Braden (DS) 5

From: Multiples-DS Reply-To: Multiples-DS To: Multiples-DS Subject: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 amDate: 4 Dec 2006 04:06:09 -0000

Reminder from:

Multiples-DS's Calendar

Title:

Check-in Day!

Date:

Monday December 4, 2006

Time:

All Day

Repeats:

This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month.

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If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the group by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy Get free, personalized commercial-free online radio with MSN Radio powered by Pandora

December 4, 2006

Happy Holidays and best wishes from the Texas grandmother of Vaughan's four -- (7), (4), and Will (DS) and Jake (now 2). You families on this listserve are to be congratulated on the great strides you have made with your children this past year. Although I am far away from my own grandchildren, I have been very busy with the full-time care of my 87 year old father who is in end-stage kidney failure. He requires lots and lots of care-taking, so even at 60 one finds oneself not relieved of those responsibilities. Plus working full-time, which I know many of you do also. I enjoy reading your accomplishments, and I send you best wishes and lots of resolve for the New Year.Multiples-DS wrote: Reminder from: Multiples-DS's Calendar Title: Check-in Day! Date: Monday December 4, 2006 Time: All Day Repeats: This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month. Description: If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the group by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

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December 4, 2006

Just checking in. was sick with a sinus infection a few weeks ago but is much better now with a round of antibiotics and nasonex which really helps. He still attends Day Services each day and enjoys being with his friends. I was sick also with a bad sinus infection over Thanksgiving so we didn't get to go to my niece's which was disappointing since that is the only time of the year we all get together, but Bob cooked our dinner here and he is a great cook so that is good. I certainly can't believe another year has passed so quickly but as you get older the faster it goes. Scary. LOL. Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! Judy & Bob parents to 27yrs the joy of our lives who happens to have ds and multiple disabilities and 34yrs.

-- Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Reminder from:

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December 4, 2006

Darling family!! Judy, Bob &

-- RE: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Hello all! We're just cruising right along this holiday season. Got all our decorating up this weekend and even managed to get alot of the shopping done. Braden is really doing well. Gotta have a proud mommy moment here - he is reading! He has about twenty sight words now. The sentences are simple but I'm so very proud of him. Sure wish I could go back in time to that first week the twins were born... If only I coulda known then what I know and feel now.

Merry Christmas to all of you - Bethany mom to Allie 11, Cameron 7, Grant and Braden (DS) 5

From: Multiples-DS Reply-To: Multiples-DS To: Multiples-DS Subject: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 amDate: 4 Dec 2006 04:06:09 -0000

Reminder from:

Multiples-DS's Calendar

Title:

Check-in Day!

Date:

Monday December 4, 2006

Time:

All Day

Repeats:

This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month.

Description:

If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the group by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

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December 5, 2006

Bethany,

You have a beautiful family!

mom to Amy, Kelsey, Davey and Will

-----Original Message-----From: Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ]On Behalf Of Bethany and Tom MirkaSent: Monday, December 04, 2006 7:05 AMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: RE: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Hello all! We're just cruising right along this holiday season. Got all our decorating up this weekend and even managed to get alot of the shopping done. Braden is really doing well. Gotta have a proud mommy moment here - he is reading! He has about twenty sight words now. The sentences are simple but I'm so very proud of him. Sure wish I could go back in time to that first week the twins were born... If only I coulda known then what I know and feel now.

Merry Christmas to all of you - Bethany mom to Allie 11, Cameron 7, Grant and Braden (DS) 5

From: Multiples-DS Reply-To: Multiples-DS To: Multiples-DS Subject: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 amDate: 4 Dec 2006 04:06:09 -0000

Reminder from:

Multiples-DS's Calendar

Title:

Check-in Day!

Date:

Monday December 4, 2006

Time:

All Day

Repeats:

This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month.

Description:

If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the group by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

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December 5, 2006

Hi ,

My boys did not go to day care. I think it really helped with the boys not getting sick. I noticed when Davey started preschool and Will finally started kindergarten, that we could set our watches with colds and viruses. Two weeks, and we would ALL be sick!!! I am so glad the boys did not go to day care. Even though Davey has had many sets of ear tubes, it could have been a lot worse. He is getting his 7th set this Friday. The ENT is hoping to get a more permanent set in this time, if his ear canals are big enough.

mom to Amy 19, Kelsey 16, Davey (DS) 6 and Will 6

-----Original Message-----From: Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ]On Behalf Of Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 6:56 AMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: RE: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Hi, Everyone!

My little ones are 18 months, 23 months (DS) and 23 months (DS) old…and they seem to be sick ALL the time now that the weather is colder. They do well through the summer, but in late fall everything gets messy. Their noses run all the time. Every time they seem to be ALMOST better, someone gets worse again and we are in for another 2 week bout. They don’t have bacterial infections, just nasty colds. Does anyone have any advice?

We make sure they eat healthy and get enough rest. We also run an air purifier.

We keep them out of nurseries and child care situations where they might pick up nasty bugs. I’m starting to wonder whether that makes any difference. J Of course, maybe we would be the ones giving out the nasty bugs.

I’m also wondering if anyone else struggles with cabin fever. Even when we are able to go out (no therapy appointments), someone is sick so we tend to stay home. If I didn’t have a 14 year old to help keep a little one or 2 when I run an errand, I don’t think I’d ever breathe fresh air. J I hate to run errands in the evening when my husband is home, but that’s what usually ends up happening.

I love my life with these little ones, there are just a couple of things that make life tricky now-a-days.

Enjoy this Christmas season, everyone!

God Blesss,

From: Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ] Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 11:06 PMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Reminder from:

Multiples-DS's Calendar

Title:

Check-in Day!

Date:

Monday December 4, 2006

Time:

All Day

Repeats:

This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month.

Description:

If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the group by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!

December 6, 2006

Sorry tohear about the 's health again, Ihope you all will enjoy your trip to CO!

Irene

Re: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

This is Deanna, mom to 5. We are trying to get ready for a holiday visit to my parents in CO...2 day drive at least. is dealing with his yearly medical issues with the winter season.....he is on atb and steroids again....and has missed 3 weeks of school because of it. I thought we may have bben out of the woods by now, but I guess another year or so, if ever. He has BPD as well as pulmonary hypoplasia r/t being a micro preemie. I hope everyone is staying warm and healthy. Have a great Christmas!!!!!

Deanna mom to Alyssa, 13 , 10 Jarod, 6 , 3 1/2 (DS) ~i~Jordan (DS) 1/20/03-2/2/03

December 6, 2006

,

I wish I had some advice for you, if you read the posts this time of year they all sound familiar, if it helps to know you are not alone, then you have come to the right place. Living in Florida we seemed to have the summer sickness some years and Zack could not get rid of it w/o anitbiotics, etc. I will offer you some hope though. I was told that Zack had a "challenged" immune sysytem due to his DS, the first 5 years, 6 sets of tubes etc was a good testimony, but now he is a very healthy guy, his triplet brother has asthma and allergies and takes meds and a puffer and the doctor has released Zack from her care. His older brother has some medical stuff too, that Zack does not. So hang in there, it's all part of the process. Happy holidays!

Irene

Jake 10

Zachary DS, , 8

RE: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Hi, Everyone!

My little ones are 18 months, 23 months (DS) and 23 months (DS) old…and they seem to be sick ALL the time now that the weather is colder. They do well through the summer, but in late fall everything gets messy. Their noses run all the time. Every time they seem to be ALMOST better, someone gets worse again and we are in for another 2 week bout. They don’t have bacterial infections, just nasty colds. Does anyone have any advice?

We make sure they eat healthy and get enough rest. We also run an air purifier.

We keep them out of nurseries and child care situations where they might pick up nasty bugs. I’m starting to wonder whether that makes any difference. J Of course, maybe we would be the ones giving out the nasty bugs.

I’m also wondering if anyone else struggles with cabin fever. Even when we are able to go out (no therapy appointments), someone is sick so we tend to stay home. If I didn’t have a 14 year old to help keep a little one or 2 when I run an errand, I don’t think I’d ever breathe fresh air. J I hate to run errands in the evening when my husband is home, but that’s what usually ends up happening.

I love my life with these little ones, there are just a couple of things that make life tricky now-a-days.

Enjoy this Christmas season, everyone!

God Blesss,

From: Multiples-DS [mailto:Multiples-DS ] Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 11:06 PMTo: Multiples-DS Subject: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Reminder from:

Multiples-DS's Calendar

Title:

Check-in Day!

Date:

Monday December 4, 2006

Time:

All Day

Repeats:

This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month.

Description:

If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the group by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!

December 6, 2006

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the new members! You are in a great place. This group has

saved me many times from feeling like I'm falling without a net... I

hope I have helped a few by returning the favor with info I have learned

along the way. It's so worth repeating, " I would be lost without you

guys! "

This is a very busy time of year, with the holidays and the " romance "

wearing off at school after the first quarter. We are in the middle of

reeligibility and of course the school wants to change the girls from

dev. delayed to mentally retarded. Here in Loudoun, you can't keep the

DD label after 5 yrs and they turn 5 in Sept. 2007. That seems so

ridiculous because they don't even give them a fighting chance before

they label them retarded, even with the prematurity and all the

surgeries that held them back from crawling and walking. I know in some

families where there is only one special needs child, let alone only one

child, the kid is completely enriched with counting (every time they go

up the steps, for instance) and tons of other educational stimulation.

In our house, I go from diaper-to-diaper-to teaching one kid to chew-to

another, to cooking oral motor food to redirecting persevative behavior,

throwing, banging toys together, developing functional play skills...

it never ends... My husband is usually out of town and on weekends,

pretty worthless, I'm sorry to say. I still have a difficult time

taking them anywhere, like other family homes because I can't physically

keep them all safe in non-childproofed homes. I tried to take them by

myself to a cousin's (he's 8 yrs) championship football game. fell

through the bleachers five feet down right before my eyes, while I was

holding Nikki, and my brother-in-law was holding Haley. Just couldn't

climb over people I thought were astute enough to " help " consistently to

grab him before he fell.

I am also in the process of considering kindergarten placement and after

that, writing new IEPs. I observed a kindergarten class last week and

it made me cry. No more playing like they do in preschool. I think the

girls can attend for 15-20 minutes, but there's so much writing and

focusing and following directions in there. They also have an early

literacy program. So I'm on the bully-pit at school - why do the girls

have the same prewriting goal ( " will draw circles, horizontal & vertical

lines " ) that they've had for THREE years now? They never crawled, so

make them do barrel-walking or something, like 10 times a day!

Obviously, the therapy is not enough service time. I noticed last week

that the O.T. was using 3-piece puzzles with big knobs for the girls.

Are you kidding me? They are able to do much harder puzzles than that...

We are also flipping out on the school system because the girls

regressed with chewing skill development when we moved from Fairfax Cty

to Loudoun Cty in June 2005. They didn't get the support during summer

school and learned how to swallow chicken nuggets and pasta whole. At

the start of school in Sept 05, the therapist said she wasn't qualified,

they weren't staffed to handle this, and another therapist wrote evals

to only allow baby food for the girls while in school. Joe and I did a

video showing that they could chew with support and that they needed

support to catch back up to where they were and emerge to a safe level

or they could steal food from peers and choke to death. This is still

going on. The same therapist that would only allow baby food and her

supervisor that said, " we don't have to teach your children to chew in

order to access their education " didn't like my response that, " then why

is there a chewing goal in their IEPs that says, chewing all types of

food before swallowing, you guys are in non-compliance... now they have

to customize service time and support to catch them up at least where

they were 1 1/2 yrs ago. So they developed a chewing protocol and

revised the IEP, however, it is still not customized based on their

needs. The therapist only works 2 1/2 days a week and travels quite a

distance to see the girls so she only wrote 120 minutes a month of

consult, meaning she doesn't even have to see them directly to test,

modify, cue, do anything directly to help them emerge. Last year, there

were major communication breakdowns with the feeders and the therapists

and unsafe things occurred regularly. If we don't get all this

straight, this can cause the girls to end up in the " most restrictive

environment " for safety reasons for kindergarten placement. Not fair,

not appropriate... I can't believe that I have to advocate all this stuff.

At the same time, we have 1:1 music therapy for each daughter, and they

do have some oral motor goals. They got not only summer school last

year, but also 3 hrs each of 1:1 tutoring, 1/2 hr. each 1:1 occupational

therapy, 1 hr 1:1 oral motor therapy, and 1/2 hr. 1:1 speech therapy

last summer. The kids learned alot over the summer as far as color,

shapes, signing, spontaneous expressive language, fine motor, etc.

(This took alot of research and advocacy and a stay-put clause that

worked in the girls' favor.)

But there's still so much to do before kindergarten, like

potty-training, chewing skill development, writing and reading skill

development. I pick up the outofthebox-earlyreading program and look

forward to the Handwriting w/out Tears program. Any references for

links to sites or other programs I should look at? Any advice on

getting kids ready for kindergarten?

The girls have learned how to take their clothes off during naps and

fling their dirty diapers across the room. It happens so much and I

know there's something going on with either celiac or food allergies or

something, because they are still " blowing out " diapers at least 1-2

times a week. It's so overwhelming! I've tried diaper pins, duck tape,

you name it, it's just a matter of time that the little Houdini's get

out of their clothes. My next step is putting a video monitor in there

so I can do a few things downstairs and still be able to monitor them.

I go through anti-bacterial wipes like crazy to keep the room clean and

then go over with with diaper wipes so they don't get too many

chemicals. This is keeping me from potty-training them. The other

reason is that I need more bodies to potty-train DD kids. It's a

catch-22 around here. I don't know what to do other than put out the

fires that are constantly going on.

It hasn't gotten any easier, just different, just like many have said.

I'm still trying to develop family traditions, especially around the

holidays, but we are still kinda quarantined and isolated. Forget

taking them to a public park; I'm still trying to figure out how to

teach them to swim and think I'm probably going to book it a year out to

make sure I'm on some list that will take them with separate instructors

(more bodies) that can teach at the same time. I could go on and on...

I guess you can see that I'm barely hanging on right now...

So very sorry to ramble on... I just off-loaded on you all. HELP!!!!

I need another safety net!

Better run. needs my attention and the girls will be home from

school shortly.

Thanks for all of your friendships, advise, and sisterly support,

tolerance, and love!

Granata

Wife to Joe

Mom to Haley & Nikki, 4 yr twin girls, both w/DS, and , 2 1/2 yr son

Leesburg, VA

Thank goodness for all of you to help us through!

Multiples-DS wrote:

> Reminder from: *Multiples-DS's Calendar

> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Multiples-DS/cal>*

> Title: Check-in Day!

> Date: Monday December 4, 2006

> Time: All Day

> Repeats: This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month.

> Description: If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now

> at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the

> group by posting to the group -- even a small update!

>

> Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!

>

> Thanks!

>

> Reserved | Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> |

> Privacy Policy <http://privacy.yahoo.com/>

December 6, 2006

Deanna, You are an amazing Mom! You inspire me! - Granata

Deannalee0524@... wrote:

>

> This is Deanna, mom to 5. We are trying to get ready for a holiday

> visit to my parents in CO...2 day drive at least. is dealing

> with his yearly medical issues with the winter season.....he is on atb

> and steroids again....and has missed 3 weeks of school because of it.

> I thought we may have bben out of the woods by now, but I guess

> another year or so, if ever. He has BPD as well as pulmonary

> hypoplasia r/t being a micro preemie. I hope everyone is staying warm

> and healthy. Have a great Christmas!!!!!

>

> Deanna mom to

> Alyssa, 13

> , 10

> Jarod, 6

> , 3 1/2 (DS)

> ~i~Jordan (DS) 1/20/03-2/2/03

>

December 6, 2006

Hey Judi Grossman if you're listening/reading/watching I think Granata could surely use some input from you. I remember how knowledgable you are on so much stuff. Which brings me to ask how are Sam and doing? Still horseback riding? I know that's not the correct term but I also know that you know what I mean!! You should be receiving my Christmas card real soon; I'm really on the ball this year. Thank God for small favors!!

, Hang in there. It's so true that is does not get easier just different. It sounds like you're doing a great job advocating for your kids keep it up but I can't imagine the stress and pressure of caring for 3 little ones on top of advocating so diligently. Have you thought of obtaining an advocate? It may take some of the load off of you. I, too, am stressing over kindergarten since I agree that it is so different from Preschool. No playing around. My twins turn 5 December 28th and I actually had a parent/teacher conference today with 's teacher and aide. I'm observing the kindergarten class next week and like 's teacher said she doesn't think should stay another year in preschool but kindergarten is going to be so much different. But that is what and IEP is all about "individual" so it just never ever ends. I'm sorry I don't have much more to offer you other than checking into an advocate and maybe some outside help at dinner/bed time especially since your husband is out of town so much. Look into that , I know you can sometimes get someone to come over at dinner and/or bed time just for an extra hand.

I know things will get better .......just hang in there....

Sherrill

mom to Jillian 9, and (D/s) almost 5

December 8, 2006

Happy Holidays to all,

My name is and hubby , we have 8 year old

boy/girl twins. I have been here since this list was

created. I mostly lurk, because I just can't find time

with a full time job, the kids and everything they are

into.

Vinnie suffers mostly from sinus problems and Alopecia

(total body baldness) His twin sister Sloan is a very

BIG with Vinnie.

Hope everyone is well with winter setting in.

--- Bethany and Tom Mirka wrote:

---------------------------------

Hello all! We're just cruising right along this

holiday season. Got all our decorating up this

weekend and even managed to get alot of the shopping

done. Braden is really doing well. Gotta have a

proud mommy moment here - he is reading! He has about

twenty sight words now. The sentences are simple but

I'm so very proud of him. Sure wish I could go back

in time to that first week the twins were born... If

only I coulda known then what I know and feel now.

Merry Christmas to all of you - Bethany mom to Allie

11, Cameron 7, Grant and Braden (DS) 5

---------------------------------

From: Multiples-DS

Reply-To: Multiples-DS

To: Multiples-DS

Subject: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006,

12:00 am

Date: 4 Dec 2006 04:06:09 -0000

Reminder from: Multiples-DS's CalendarTitle: Check-in

Day!Date: Monday December 4, 2006Time: All Day

Repeats: This event repeats on the first Monday of

every other month.Description: If you haven't posted

in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being

removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the

group by posting to the group -- even a small update!

Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!

Thanks!

Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

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December 8, 2006

Hello everyone! I am a relatively new member, I have a seven year old boy and twin three year olds, one with DS and one not. I am still posting each month and adding pictures, mostly of the kids, to my website at www.jennifergrafgroneberg.com, which many of you already know about. Our new thing is that we have begun Love and Learning at our house with the little boys. I am really pleased and they are enjoying it. Other than that, we are all fighting little colds (ugh) and I am trying to find my Chrismas spirit, which I think is still packed away in a box somewhere... wrote: Happy Holidays to all,My name is and hubby , we have 8 year oldboy/girl twins. I have been here since this list wascreated. I mostly lurk, because I just can't find timewith a full time job, the kids and everything they areinto.Vinnie suffers mostly from sinus problems and Alopecia(total body baldness) His twin sister Sloan is a veryBIG with Vinnie.Hope everyone is well with winter setting in.--- Bethany and Tom Mirka <tbmirkahotmail> wrote:---------------------------------Hello all! We're just cruising right along thisholiday season. Got all our decorating

up thisweekend and even managed to get alot of the shoppingdone. Braden is really doing well. Gotta have aproud mommy moment here - he is reading! He has abouttwenty sight words now. The sentences are simple butI'm so very proud of him. Sure wish I could go backin time to that first week the twins were born... Ifonly I coulda known then what I know and feel now.Merry Christmas to all of you - Bethany mom to Allie11, Cameron 7, Grant and Braden (DS) 5---------------------------------From: Multiples-DS Reply-To: Multiples-DS To: Multiples-DS Subject: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006,12:00 amDate: 4 Dec 2006 04:06:09 -0000Reminder from:

Multiples-DS's CalendarTitle: Check-inDay!Date: Monday December 4, 2006Time: All DayRepeats: This event repeats on the first Monday ofevery other month.Description: If you haven't postedin over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for beingremoved from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with thegroup by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved |Terms of Service | Privacy Policy ---------------------------------Get free, personalized commercial-free online radiowith MSN Radio powered by Pandora __________________________________________________________Cheap talk?Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates.http://voice.yahoo.com

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December 10, 2006

and Sadie (ds) celebrated their 3rd birthday the day after Thanksgiving. We just got back from going on a 1 week cruise to the carribean. It was a blast but would not recommend traveling like that with brand new 3 year olds. We are exhausted. We have done our transition to preschool. Sadie will start in January (we waited until after the holidays and besides I really needed a break from all the appointments). Like some others in the group. I am also incredibly busy (working full time, school part time and then family). I do love reading everyone's posts. I am not at some of the stages that others are at (i.e. bicycle riding) but I do enjoy the tidbits of information. Sadie continues to stand and we have our fingers crossed as to when she will take her first steps. Well, that is an update from me. I really do appreciate this group. There is a lot of knowledge to be

shared. Missy and Sadie (ds) age 3Multiples-DS wrote: Reminder from: Multiples-DS's Calendar Title: Check-in Day! Date: Monday December 4, 2006 Time: All Day Repeats: This event repeats on the first Monday of every other month. Description: If you haven't posted in over 8 weeks - you are now at risk for being removed from Multiples-DS! Please check-in with the group by posting to the group -- even a small update! Lurking is NO longer allowed on this group!!Thanks!Copyright © 2006 Yahoo! Inc. All

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January 4, 2007

Hi a,

Good luck with the school switch. That doesn't sound like fun, what you

just went through. There's so much to stay on top of as Moms. It's

crazy the extra " boomerangs " that get thrown in with all we do as it is!

As far as chewing, our girls love to chew toys, too. We got them chewy

tubes and bracelets from abilitations.com to help redirect this behavior

to toys that are appropriate to chew. We also remind them, " Hands down "

or " quiet hands " (quiet hands means they need to lace their fingers

together and place hands in their laps - school taught them this.).

They need the sensory input to wake up their mouths. (They also grind

their teeth for input.) I understand that the toy chewing will diminish

once they develop their fine motor skills more and develop the ability

to explore their world through their hands, not their mouths like

typical babies. They probably need to also develop a better ability to

self-feed (chew foods safely prior to swallowing - an IEP goal).

They've had chewing issue for years now and they have slow-emerging

progress towards these goals, and have private and school oral motor

therapists, a sensory diet and protocol. It's a very s-l-o-w process

that is constantly teaching me what patience really means to a Mom with

special needs kids. I noticed that once the girls went from

sippy/straw cups to open cups, they had nothing to chew as they drank

and then started grinding as they drink, too. This seems to be all

related. Hope this helps.

Granata

Mom to Haley & Nikki, 4 yr twin girls, both w/DS, and , 2 1/2 yr son

mrsimoffshore@... wrote:

>

> Oh, I'm almost a month late in responding to the Check-in Day e-mail.

> The private preschool we had the boys in at the start of school didn't

> work out (The experienced teacher they were supposed to have left, the

> Director of the program, who had many promises left, the person hired

> to be their teacher had no training or experience......). Anyway, it

> has been very disheartening.

>

> Since the private school didn't work out, we opted to have another IEP

> meeting with our local school and see what they had to offer. Long

> story short, the boys are starting back in the ECD class this week.

> We are working out a schedule, where some of the time only one of the

> boys will be in the class, other times they will be in the class

> together. I think this will work out great, because I will get to

> spend one on one time with the boys, which almost never happens. Each

> boy will also get to be known as more of an individual in the class,

> and not always be " the twins " .

>

> My boys both chew on toys a lot. Does anyone else have this problem?

> It seems like everything goes to the mouth " their third hand " . Any

> ideas on how to break this habit? Will it go on forever?

>

> Happy New Year,

>

> a, and (3 years, 10 months) twins, both with DS

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January 4, 2007

Thanks for responding to my chewing question, and for being sympathetic to the school

situation. They have each had a day of school so far, which has gone well.

I agree that the boys do need something to chew on, because they are getting sensory

input that they need by chewing. I've ordered from abilitations before, and will look

into what might work for them. The mouthing and chewing gets to be a problem when

it is markers, crayons, paint brushes etc...

There is always something, isn't there?

We are having a great time with them and wouldn't what anything to be different.

Thanks again,

a

Re: Check-in Day!, 12/4/2006, 12:00 am

Hi a,

Good luck with the school switch. That doesn't sound like fun, what you

just went through. There's so much to stay on top of as Moms. It's

crazy the extra "boomerangs" that get thrown in with all we do as it is!

As far as chewing, our girls love to chew toys, too. We got them chewy

tubes and bracelets from abilitations.com to help redirect this behavior

to toys that are appropriate to chew. We also remind them, "Hands down"

or "quiet hands" (quiet hands means they need to lace their fingers