Week 1 ~ Blooming Where You Are

On My Mind ~ This week was supposed to be our fantastic leap into a new school year, but instead we have spent much of the week in survival mode.  Tom Sawyer is still battling illness and a fever (sometimes as high as 103.5).  He went in a few days ago and they suspect mononucleosis.  This is day 10.  He is sleeping many hours of the day.  Last night he walked to the swing set, sat on it for two minutes and then had to be carried back into the house.  It was heartbreaking to see.  We are struggling to keep calories in him.  He is back down to 60 pounds.  Update ~ The doctor diagnosed him today with walking pneumonia in his right lung and has started a course of antibiotics. 

Living With Special Needs ~ All this extra attention and worry over Tom Sawyer has Goldilocks dysregulated.  She is having a rough week and had to go be with her one-on-one behavioral specialist twice this week for a few hours.  If you read our day in the life a few days ago, you know that she put tons of Vaseline in her hair.  I did manage to get it out with a box of corn starch packed into her hair (and covered with a shower cap) and allowed to sit for an hour.  We then washed it FIVE times with shampoo.  Her hair is very dried out and frizzy now.  I think I will do a deep conditioner on her hair this weekend.

My Favorite Resource ~ This would be a tie this week.  From a Mother's point of view, the winner is  BeKool Fever Patches.  With our son's corn allergy, there is no over the counter fever reducer medication that is safe.  There is a possibility that Infant Advil is safe, and I have used it five times this week but having the fever patches is a big comfort to us.  My favorite resource from a teacher's point of view is the Basher books.  My son loves them and has enjoyed re-reading them during the short periods he is awake.

Our Homeschool ~ In the midst of everything else, we did manage to do the bare bones of our Olympic Unit Study.  This included our sensory box (pick up beads with tweezers and put in ring cups), Olympic Rings meal, watching the Olympics, making a lap book and reading Magic Tree House ~ Hour of The Olympics and the companion research book.  We also did math, language arts, spelling, therapy time and literature on most days.  We should be done with Davy Crockett next week.

Around the home ~ I am busy disinfecting the house!  While doing that, I am trying to organize things.  I did finish organizing Tom Sawyer's Lego drawers.  His entire desk is now organized with Legos!

Counting Blessings ~ We have been abundantly blessed this week.  We have maintained ds's fever at safe levels.  Our former one-on-one worker, who has helped Goldilocks so much over the years, returned full time to providing respite care for children just when we really needed her.  She also found a scholarship to pay for her services with Goldilocks.  My own illness is gone and I feel almost back to full energy. WE HOMESCHOOL!  I have been able to slip in learning whenever ds is awake.  I have been homeschooling for a long time and am used to medical crises, so adapting our lesson plans is old hat to me and very easy to do.

Blessings, Dawn