ZOO MAZING..

Last weekend we went to the Woodland Park Zoo with the Snohomish County ARC, we went individually around the zoo for the most part, meeting here and there. Trying to keep all our kids together as a group is near impossible so we didn't even try lol. It was actually a free trip to the Zoo for my kids and I because I had free child passes from forever ago that never expire and I was free as Alana's "caregiver". Everyone else in the group I believe got 40% discount, plus a free "caregiver" per person with special needs requiring one.

You might be asking why as a parent of a minor with special needs do I qualify for free admission as a "caregiver" because all minors require an adult chaperone to the zoo. Thus is true and I thought this at first too then I realized (with help) that the ARC can only have events like this for children with special needs if they invite the whole family because they cannot care for all the children, most of these children need 1 on 1 caregivers at all times, especially at a place such as the zoo.. my daughter cannot go to the zoo with the many daycamps, YMCA, etc. or the ARC for that matter even if they are skilled in kids with special needs because they simply do not have the staffing/volunteers to give 1 on 1 assistance, it is not safe to say the least and at any moment that child can need private caregiver assistance that no matter how many volunteers there are they couldn't handle it..during a meltdown, have to leave immediately, medications etc. I cannot send her alone with a friend and her family because she needs one on one attention but most people would be able to send their 7 year old daughter to the zoo with a friend and their family.. I cannot do that. I have to attend as well or send a caregiver of some sort with her. There is no way for her to attend the zoo with anyone (camps, friends, etc.), without a 1 on 1 caregiver with her.. regardless if that caregiver happens to be a parent or an actual "caregiver". That probably didn't make any sense but I tried lol.

They loved her ribbon, they were swimming right to her.

Checking the map...

Hi there Emu... howwwwww u doin?

Set Sail! Heart Of Sailing..

Guess What We Did Yesterday??

We went SAILING!!

Alana had a blast of course, she got restless at the end but all in all, everyone had fun.. no one fell in the water at least. Captain George was awesome! Thanks again so much!!

We could do this thanks to THIS wonderful organization.. Heart of Sailing.

Please take some time to check it out and donate if you can, it's so worth your time and donations!

Waiting to leave

A rare blog appearance by me.. oh my.

We left yeahhhhhhhhhh look at that grin!

Another blog appreance twice in one post!

Not Me Monday

Want more Not Me Monday fun?? Head over to MckMama's!

I did not clean out my kid's pool that was algae infested and found that it also had little red "worms" in it.. GAG.. Now it is not clean with chlorine added.

We did not find this hanging out around the pool...

Kaila did not lose her baby toenail or the majority of it while I was at work last night.. here's to hoping it grows back! I lost 2 fingernails as a child and they grew back..

She has also not been having nosebleeds EVERY DAY... multiple TIMES A DAY. Seriously I was hoping my children wouldn't take after me in that aspect... talk about flashbacks.

Gasoline did not get spilled in the garage.. onto the baby bassinet which I am keeping in case I ever have another baby and to pass on to my children for their children since all 3 of my kids used it. The other half did not put it in the trash :-X, making me dig it out! I am just glad he didn't break it. I have not tried all the tricks to get the stench out of it and it still stinks.. as does my washing machine...ugh.. so now I am just letting it sit outside in hopes to have nature take care of the smell.


Okay that's all my head hurts, Kaila and I are not sick.. at all.

Well Child Checks

Today we went to the zoo and then to dr visits.

Stats:

Donni (18 months)

27lbs = 70%

33inches = 75%

BMI 76%

YEAHHHH!! lol I actually have a child that is "average".. even above "average" lol.

Kaila (5 1/2 years)

35lbs = 8%

40inches = um it's below the bottom line which is 3%.. lol.

BMI 55-60%

The details:

Kaila was referred to dermatology and an allergist for her eczema (shes had it since she was a baby) and given a steriod cream because we've done tried the moisturizers. She got 2 shots (she needs 4 for kindergarten but I waived the MMR and the Chicken Pox with the school already so she only got polio and dtap) and as I type this she has a fever.. sigh. She also got her blood drawn to retest for spherocytosis (a hereditary anemia that I have and runs in our family) there is a more accurate test then she was tested negative with when she was a baby.

Donni got no shots as usual and he got his blood drawn to check for spherocytosis with the new test, check lead and anemia etc. We agreed that he should start some speech intervention just to give him a boost like we did with Kaila at 18months. We are not worried about Autism but he is delayed with speech and with a sibling with Autism it would be wise to make sure he doesn't fall too far behind. I am going to wait through the summer and sign him up with a therapist in the fall.

Alana did nothing during this visit but sang "Pokerface" to the medical assistant as she was giving Kaila shots. And sang "Single Ladies" to the lab techs as they drew blood from her siblings, by the time we got to lunch she was singing "Boom Boom Pow".. Her favorite at the moment is "Sugar". She is a walking, breathing, live radio station. Her teacher said she will be a DJ when she is older lol. They said one time she was singing "Please Don't Stop The Music" and they were telling her "Please STOP The Music" lol. I have a plan to show you some of her music loving soon..