Making Progress

I was told by Mrs. Coleman today that she got a couple of words out of Mackinna at school today!   Mackinna denies this, but I don't know why her teacher would lie...

Oh and Kaden's 4th tooth came in over the weekend.  He's all balanced now with two on the top and bottom.

Bedtime

This is what the kids have been doing lately at bedtime...

Our adventure

While Kaden had his first night away from Mommy when he went to see GG with Daddy last weekend, Mackinna, Jordie and I went on a big adventure. We took Casco Bay Ferry Lines out to the town of Long Island and explored. Unfortunately I wasn't able to carry a very tired Mackinna all the way across the island quite quick enough for us to catch the boat back to Portland that I had hoped, so we got stuck on the island for another couple of hours. While it was a little chilly later in the day, this blunder did allow us to see a beautiful sunset. All in all we had a great time, though on the boat ride back Jordie did milk his limp for all it was worth to get attention. Ironically as soon as we were along in the parking garage he was walking perfectly fine.

Mackinna on the ferry
Spring Point Light from the boat

A great little beach on the island

See all the little people in the distance? It was a wedding- so pretty!

Our beautiful, but cold sunset

Mackinnaism

Its raining today- the first of many rainy days coming our way.   On the way to story time Mackinna told me to turn on the "schwin shield schwipers"

Mute?

On Tuesday it was Mackinna's 5th day of school.  Her teacher actually asked me, "Does Mackinna talk at home?"  As if I would have neglected to mention that she was 3 and half and doesn't talk...

I said yes, and asked if that question meant she really didn't talk at all in class.  Mrs. Coleman said she hadn't heard a word.  Mackinna must wear herself out by talking to all those invisible people... nothing left to talk at school.  I told Mrs. Coleman she typically takes a while to warm up to people, but maybe by Christmas she'd be seeing the real Mackinna.

Pictures from the Common Ground Fair

We went to the Common Ground Fair last week with Auntie & Uncle Joe. It was the most beautiful fall day- it was just unbelievable. Kaden couldn't get enough of the animals. He was making monster noises at all of them, despite my efforts to get him to say, "moo" or "bahh". Mackinna of course was afraid of most of the animals, and stood a good distance away at all times. She did enjoy just hanging out with her Auntie though. She also watched a puppet show and painted- with ORANGE paint of course!

14 months

Kaden is 14 months now.  It seems hard to believe.  He's looking less and less like a baby and more and more like a little boy.

He's been working hard to cut his third tooth for a few days and it finally broke through today.  He found it quite handy when biting into his banana this morning.  

He is still a man of few words, but certainly has a couple...his favorite being ball.  He loves playing ball, talking about balls- really everything about them.  He could live a very happy existence if he had to get rid of all but one toy- as long as his one could be a ball.  He's got quite an arm on him too! 

Other words he says: "Maa-ee" "Daa-ee" "Bub" "Beby" and "MAAA!" (Mommy, Daddy, Cup, Baby and I think the MAA is Mackinna- he usually yells it at her with quite a tone.)  For most everything else he points and uses his second favorite word, "ehh, ehh, ehh."

He's mastered turning and going feet first to slide off the bed, couch and the two stairs into our bedroom, so we are happy for his head.  His walk is so fast now, it's approaching run speed and its getting harder and harder to keep up.

He loves bringing his sister to school and always wants to get down and play with the big kids.  He points and yells as we pass the school playground and makes it pretty hard for me to get by without stopping to let him play.

He makes monster noises when asked, "what does a monster say?"  He makes those same noises for cow, goat, sheep, etc.  When we tell him something is hot he starts blowing- even if he's clear across the room from the hot item.  He's so darn cute.

Kaden is obsessed with Mark's hat and if he sees one around, insists that he put it on, even if he's already wearing one.  He has a similar policy when it comes to shoes.  If he notices we are in our bare feet and can locate our shoes, he will carry them over and insist that we put them on.  

We are in the process of moving him up to size 24 months clothes and are thinking we may need to trim his mullet again.  It seems his hair in the back grows a lot faster than the stuff on top and in the front!

Its strange to think Kaden is nearly the age Mackinna was when we moved back here.  

Bar Harbor with the Bakers

We went up to Bar Harbor to spend a couple days there while Anie, Dave and Lily were there for a wedding.  It was great fun and great company, and one of the two days was even great weather!

Kaden and Lily on a diner date

We started Monday morning with a walk on the Shore Path outside our hotel.

Shadow baby with Shadow Mom and Dad

Mackinna loved helping Lily walk, luckily Dave was helping too!

Campbells on the top of Cadilac Mountain

Both families on the top of the mountain.  Lily wasn't really in the mood for a photo shoot.

It was WINDY up there!

We tried to get a nice picture of the three kids on the mountain...

And tried again- eventually gave up

Kaden would have liked to  jump- he has no fear.

Don't they look like they are deep in conversation?

He's wishing I'd put him down and let him run around

A day (or two) at the races

Last weekend at New Hampshire Speedway was the Sylvania 300 and the Heluva Good! 125 and Heluva Good! Pole day (two clients of ours at work) so we took a trip down to check it out and had a blast despite rain on Friday!

Grandma and Mackinna in the rain

I took this one with the self timer!

Even though we were all wet and everything was rained out (on Friday) we are all smiles!

One good thing about no actual racing taking  place- you can get down really close to the track.

I sent a pix message to the big screen and the kids were up on it- it was pretty neat!

Mackinna and the mobs of other fans in the stands

Kaden & I wish they'd race the truck

Mackinna with Jeff Gordon's car- her favorite!

using "conculators"- watching Sprint cup practice on Saturday

Its getting cold here

It has started to get cold here at night in the past couple of days.  This morning, it was so cold that when Mackinna was standing in front of the wide open door, while waiting for the dogs to come in, she exclaimed, "I'm starving cold!"  I suggested that she might mean "freezing cold." She begged to differ and insisted that she was starving cold.

First Day of School

Today was Miss Mackinna's first day of preschool. Drop off was amazing. She walked right and barely glanced back. Eventually she did come back to give her Mom and brother a hug and a kiss. She was awesome! She was a little difficult this morning, as you might be able to tell from the pictures, so I was worried, but as soon as we got to school, she was a changed girl.

I was irritated when she wouldn't look at me, but understood better when she insisted that I take a picture of her "pack pack." She loves that thing. Contents of the pack pack include: a monkey folder from Alison for her school papers, her Elmo lunch bag with her snack, her snuggy folded neatly at the bottom, in the event she, "needs a little rub," also Little Peanut (because it was bring a stuffed animal to school day) and a change of clothes, which she was not impressed with. I was just following the directions of the teacher!
Her attitude here is what concerned me about drop off. I couldn't get her to look at me or even think about smiling.
Kaden is wishing he was was going to school too. Mackinna didn't even want him in the picture because "he's just a baby." When we got in that classroom he went crazy though. He was pointing and "ehh"ing at everything and just wanted to get down and play.
Here she is quite literally not even looking back. Quite the change from the first two sessions of summer camp. She couldn't get me out of there fast enough. I felt fortunate that she took the time to come back and give me a hug!

The Great State of Maine Airshow

We took Mackinna and Kaden to NASB Brunswick today for The Great State of Maine Air Show and Mackinna's second look at the Blue Angels. Uncle Shawn invited us out on the boat to watch the show from the New Meadows River but Mackinna decided that wasn't a good idea because she couldn't see the planes up close. So off to the air show we went. The kids enjoyed the day watching the jets and even found some time to build a few things at the Home Depot tent.

Lowes and Home Depot

Mark told me this cute Mackinna story yesterday and since he doesn't ever write on the blog, I thought I'd share.
They were at Lowes looking for grease, which Mark was struggling to find. After walking back and forth and looking in a couple of places, Mackinna finally says, "Daddy they may not grease here. We might have to go to Home Depot." Mark replies, "I think they have it here, and I don't really like Home Depot." Hen says, "Well I do!" When Mark asks her why she replies, "Because its orange." Of course!

A vow to my children

I got this wonderful forward today and thought I'd share. With the exception of going to McDonalds and getting Happy Meals its just perfect...

Just for this day.

Just for this morning, I am going to smile whenever I see your face.
and laugh when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you wake up softly, all rumpled in your
flannel and I will hold you until you are ready.

Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and
smile and say you're beautiful.

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you
up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I am going to eat a huge breakfast , with bacon
eggs, toast and waffles, and you don't have to eat any.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you
teach me how to put that 100 piece puzzle together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the
computer off, and sit with you in the garden blowing bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble
when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be
when you grow up or who you might have been before your diagnosis.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't
stand over you trying to 'fix' things.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you put all kinds of barettes in my
hair, and put lipstick on my face, and I will tell you how pretty you have made me look.

Just for this afternoon I will take you to McDonalds and buy us both a
Happy meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story
about how you were born, and how much we love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the bathtub and not get
angry when you throw water over your sister's head.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the
porch swing and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will bring you glasses of water, and snuggle
beside you for three hours and miss my favorite show on t.v.

Just for this evening, When I kneel down to pray, I will simply be
grateful for all that I have and not ask for anything, except

just one more day.

Sally

Autism is not the end of the World. . . . just
the beginning of a new one.
copyright. 1999. Sally Meyer

Pictures from the weekend

Mackinna and her fake smile at Wolfe's Neck.
Grandma and Kaden at Wolfe's Neck State Park.
Mackinna enjoying a juice box and Lonestar.

Everyone camped out at the Lonestar Concert.
Enjoying the concert so much she fell asleep in Daddy's lap.
Dylan took a little nap too, but woke up and listened and love it.
Seadogs' Fans
Daddy & The Nugget

Mackinna cheers for her Sea Dogs/Red Sox
Mommy & The Nugget
I don't know what she's doing here...
Hen digging at the beach
The path to the water at Creseant Beach State Park.
One tired, dirty, homeless looking Hen.
One tired little Nugget. He was asleep before we even fnished loading up the trunk. It was a hard day at the beach.