Decisions...

So I need to make certain decisions.

How am I supposed to know if I am making the right ones?

Which path to choose?

I have been really down this week, and I think if I can get past certain decisions I have to make I will feel better.

I am going to start batch cooking again soon...I have been lazy since back from Disney....

In other news...K, my oldest, is thriving since we got him on ADHD meds.  I never wanted to medicate my child, but the difference is so great.  He is making great grades in school!  He can sit still (enough) to learn and remember, his penmanship is legible, and he looks forward to school!

However, A is not doing better.  We put him on an antidepressant and it did absolutely nothing.  In fact some of his behaviors got worse.  He developed a new tick...he now makes a weird sound in his throat when nervous or anxious, which is ALL the time... He doesn't want to go to school anymore...not that I can blame him.

I got his interim report and for the Reading section it said "Child is very below average, contact teacher"  Well DUH!  He is mentally 4 years old, and they have him in a regular 1st grade class for reading...kmngrwsnm;pweampfnio....that was me hitting my head on the keyboard!

Still haven't had an IEP meeting....still no speech therapy....he came home and told me that he can't eat luch at school because by the time he sits down it is time to pick up...oh and they told him he can't eat yogurt for snack time...owejiowfeoHNIROI...again my head banging in frustration! 

Yes I booked my dining 5 months ago...

You may have heard...I am going to Disney World next month!

In the last Disney post I mentioned that you need to plan ahead for Disney.  One of the major planning points is booking dinning reservations (ADRs) 6 months in advance.

Ok, ok I hear you.  How do I know what we are going to want to eat on which day for a vacation 6 months from now?!  Well that's the tricky part.

What people used to do (I never did this but I have read about it) is make multiple ADRs for mealtimes and go to the one they felt like.  Well Disney caught on.  Now they don't allow your ADRs to overlap, plus the popular places now charge a no show fee of $10 per person if you don't cancel your ADR at least 24 hours a head of time.

So what to do?  Well You can over plan, like we did in 2009.  I made an ADR for every meal, for every day of our trip.  It was miserable.  Especially since one of A's panic attack/fit triggers is noisy crowded restaurants, where he doesn't know what kind of food they serve.  Of course we didn't know this at the time.

So I learned from that for this trip.  This go round, I planned out my days better.  First I checked out touringplans.com for their best park for each day of our trip.  It's pretty cool, they compile data from past years, they factor in tour groups or events in the area, plus I think they even factor in the weather that week.

Once I had that info, I planned one sit down meal or dinner show per day.  Now we are going during the Free Dining promotion, so we have a meal plan.  We upgraded to the Deluxe version of that plan, and we get 3 meal credits per day, and 2 snack credits per day.  Most meals cost 1 credit, but the dinner shows cost 2.  For sit down meals we get 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 dessert, and 1 non alcoholic beverage per person, and for counter service meals (fast food) we get 1 combo meal or 1 entree plus side and a non alcoholic beverage.
The meals I didn't plan for we will wing it.  Just grab something at the resort's food court, or if the kids see a restaurant they want to try we will go there.

I prefer the dining plan because it allows us to pre-pay for all of our meals, excluding tip and any alcohol we drink.  I prefer to make at least one reservation per day.  It makes sure we don't have to wait too long for that meal (walking up to a table service restaurant without an ADR is tricky, sometimes you have to wait 45 minutes and longer, and sometimes they have no availability!).

Some of the places we are going to eat at...

I have made ADRs to eat at Hoop Dee Doo Review- a GREAT dinner show, vaudeville style show and they serve fried chicken, BBQ ribs and fixins'...
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show-another great show that features fire dancers and such while you feast on traditional Luau foods like roasted chicken and pineapple pork...
Cinderella's Royal Table- Dine in the the castle while Disney Princesses and Princes visit your table!
Liberty Tree Tavern-this restaurant is themed like colonial America, my husband loves this restaurant because the dinner is just like traditional Thanksgiving...
50's Prime Time cafe-Very cool restaurant!  Feels like you are dining in Mom's kitchen from the 50s and 60s...they serve the BEST fried chicken!..
Rose and Crown Pub-English food, I love this place for the fruit and cheese plate, the stew and Woodchuck Cider on tap!

See at Walt Disney World eating isn't just something you have to do, it becomes an experience.

Now that we have a plan, what can we do to help A, who doesn't like strange restaurants?  Well Disney is very accommodating.  I will be able to email and call someone in the dining department and explain our situation.  They will contact the chefs at each restaurant and let them know that our child has eating issues due to his Asperger's and they will try to make some of his foods available.  For instance at the Hoop Dee Doo, the chefs will make A a pepperoni pizza or a grilled cheese.  I would not have known this if it wasn't for planning, and I wouldn't know which restaurants to contact if I didn't make my ADRs back in March!

So it is worth it to book your ADRs 6 months in advance if you can!

Been a busy week

Where to begin?  Well now that the kids are back in school, I am working 5 nights a week.  If you didn't know I am a cake decorating instructor.  I normally teach at one account 3 nights a week, now I am teaching at a second account for an extra two nights a week.

I started last week at the new account, and it was the breath of fresh air that I needed.  First off, I am replacing someone.  Very weird/crazy circumstance that I can't go into here.  Let me just say that everyone is glad I am there now, and the students were very thankful that I am shall I say normal!

The kids started school last week.  I brought them to there classrooms, and I think the teachers must think I am nuts!  First to K's class.  I met his teacher and in all of the chaos tried to explain to her that he is newly diagnosised with ADHD.  That maybe she should sit him next to her, and that his doctor also suggeseted giving him tasks to do throughout the day that required him to get up.  I know I sound strange, but I just want the school year to start off on the right foot.
She kind of nodded and then turned away.  I hope to talk to her again soon.

Then to A's class.  Now normally he checks in with the Special Ed teachers and they bring him to class.  However he wanted me to bring him this time.  So we get to his class and again amid the bustleing halls I try to explain to his teacher that he has Asperger's and this morning he decieded not to bring his blanket to school for the first time ever.  And how he uses his blanket to calm himself when he has panic attacks...and where can I find his SPED teacher so I can repeat all of what I just said to her...

Again I get a nod before she turns away.  I get it...it's the first day of school.  I look like that crazy mom not willing to let her babies out of her sight...

I assure you, I am really not that mom.

 

I guess all of this is also compounded by the fact that in a week I am going to tell the teachers that I am taking my kids out of school for a week to go to Disney World.  I just know I am going to be their favorite!

Planning a Disney vacation...aka....Universal is not part of Disney World

As you may have heard, we're going to Disney World in less than two months.  I have been planning this trip since March.

I heard a statistic that 70% of all people traveling to Walt Disney World (that's the one in Florida) are "Once in a Lifetime" visitors.  Meaning that those people go to WDW once and that's it.  I have an idea why those people never go back.

Sure the easy answer is money.  Disney is freaking expensive...more on that later....

I truly believe the reason most people only go once is because of poor planning.

For instance, if I want to go to the beach...All I have to do is book a hotel room, and pack my swimsuit.  Done.  No planning, right?  Of course that isn't how I would travel to the beach...I would spend hours scouring the inter-webs for the best accommodations for our budget, research the best spots of beach to visit in that area, look into what restaurants they have on the way and nearby, and also plan a day trip to something educational as a back up/when my kids are tired of being at the beach!

Disney is NOT this kind of vacation.

I always hear from people returning from Disney, that it was too hot, too crowded, lines too long, no availability at the restaurants(character meals, dinner shows, and signature restaurants fill up 6 months in advance!!!), and everyone was tired and miserable on the 1 hour drive back to the hotel that claimed to be "minutes" from the main gate!  Oh and our ticket to Disney didn't include Universal Studios!

I get it.  Walt Disney World is huge, 47 square miles...twice the size of Manhattan!  It's confusing! It has 4 theme parks (none of which are Universal Studios), 2 water parks, a huge shopping and dining area, and over 20 resorts (all with different themes and levels of amenities).

Overwhelmed yet?  Look at it this way...if you were going to throw down a couple of grand on anything else, you would do your research first!  That is the best was to approach a Disney trip.

Now take that into consideration, then add a toddler, a child with Asperger's, and a child with ADHD.  Yes it does take me 7 months to plan a Disney vacation for my family.

Over the next few posts I will walk through what I go through to get ready for a vacation like this.

It's a Zippidee Do Da kind of day

We are going to Disney World.

Again, yes again.

I have been to the World 4 times on vacation, and dozens more while working there, first on the College Program in 2001-2002, and then for 4 months after Katrina hit in 2005-2006.  Disney is my happy place.  My drug.

I fell in love with the World as a 12 year old in 1995.  I was supposed to go before that.  My grandfather was going to take me.  My dad was going around the same time, but because he thought I was going with my grandparents he didn't take me.  Then my grandfather's trip fell through.  So on Christmas day, 1994, when my aunt and uncle asked me if I wanted to go for Mardi Gras, I was a bit skeptical.

My mom and grandparents scrounged up the me for me to go.  Funny story:  My grandmother won $700 on a slot machine two weeks before we left for this Disney trip.  She gave every penny of it to my uncle, for him to split between my 5 year old cousin and me.  She said God gave her that money for to go and have fun.  I love her!

Not knowing better, my mom packed me up, with mostly t-shirts and shorts, and a pair of Keds.  I don't know if any of yall know what Keds are...but they have maybe a 1/16 of an inch of material between your feet and miles of walking!  Not great Disney shoes!

Normally, my uncle likes to drive in the early morning hours, a tradition I would continue!  However, this trip got delayed.  My aunt and uncle owned a poboy(New Orleans style subs) shop at this time, and they had to open, and work through the lunch rush before we could leave.  I remember my cousin Markie and I waiting that day.  It seemed like it took forever for us to finally get on the road.  I think we left sometime around 3pm.

My uncle doesn't like to stop.  In fact he is one of those travelers that likes to "make good time".  We eat in the car, and only stop for gas, which is where we pee as well...

We arrived around 1-2am.  We stayed at Disney's All Star Music Resort, Calypso section.  I was so excited.  As I sleepily walked to our room, I took in the all the wonderful sights and colors...a 2 or 3 story tall pair of maracas, and everything was bright orange and pink!

I don't remember too much about that trip except for a few details.  Markie and I fought like brother and sister the entire trip!  I remember him singing "It's a Small World after all.." over and over again, all day, just because I told him to stop.

I remember going to eat at the Coral Reef, a restaurant that shares an entire wall with the Living Seas, a huge ass aquarium.  The restaurant makes you fell as if you are dining under water.  Ass you step into the restaurant, you have to step down 4 or 5 steps.  On the side of these steps used to be bubble machines.  Markie, who was in front of me, got distracted by the bubbles(what 5 year old wouldn't?) and to be honest so did I and he stopped mid step, and I tripped over him and landed on top of him.

Disney cast members quickly ushered us to First Aid to make sure I didn't break his arm!  Almost 20 years later and I still haven't lived that one down!

I remember renting a watermouse, falling asleep at the Luau,and not wanting to ride scary rides(Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion) until they made me ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (I LOVED IT!).  I remember my uncle getting sick after riding the Teacups, and I remember hearing Phantom of the Opera for the first time on the drive up there and back(my aunt and uncle had seen it recently and bought the cd, I LOVED IT, and still do!), and I remember going to mass at the Polynesian(it was outdoors and one of the most peaceful services I have ever been to!).

Most of all I remember having to get a wheelchair on the 3rd day because those wonderful Keds I wore gave me blisters on every area of my feet...I couldn't even tie the laces, let alone walk!  Another thing that I haven't lived down yet!



This trip started a lifelong love affair for me with the Mouse.  In my next few posts I will talk about my first trip with my husband, our first trip with our children, and planning our current trip-a trip with 8 y/o with ADHD, a 6 y/o with Asperger's, and a toddler!

You know what they say...

I haven’t wanted to blog this past week.  I've had too much crap on my mind, and I am afraid to post certain things.  Let me start with the fact that I can’t stop thinking about a friend of mine.  She is going through the worst thing imaginable.  I won’t go into it….it’s not my tale to tell.  Let me say this though, in comparison I am finding it very hard to complain about my life.

I also learned something this weekend about a loved one, that I would rather I hadn’t.  No, I am glad I know, but I just wish the person would get help.  They are on a path of self-destruction and in complete denial about it.

Sorry for starting out so cryptic…I just can’t go into more detail.

Ok so back to my life…my bitching…

My oldest son is on medication for ADHD.  He was diagnosed in May.  His doctor said that he case is very severe and that choosing to medicate is the better choice.  So he has been on Vyvance since June.  We have increased the dosage once, and it is still not working.  He is still bouncing off the walls (think Tigger, but on speed, lol).  The only time I can get him to settle down is when he plays on the computer.

Do you know what he likes to do on the computer?  Watch animal vs animal videos.  My sweet, funny, charming almost 8 y/o likes to watch animals fight one another.  Should I worry about this or is this typical gross boy behavior?  It isn’t just fighting; the videos also give facts about each animal.  I know this because he likes to tell me all about it…lol.

He also likes to read about animals.  He got a fact book about “sea monsters” that he reads over and over.   He likes joke books too. 

He is excited because he gets to go back to school early this year.  He qualified for a reading program at school, to help him get caught up to grade level.  So for the next 3 weeks, he gets to go to school, for half a day, and read. 

I hope all we did this summer (getting him glasses, the medication, making him read daily and now this program) helps him get caught up to speed.  He is so smart, and so willing to learn, he just couldn’t sit still long enough to retain any of it.

I have spoken to an adult who has severe ADD and she told me what it was like for her before her diagnosis and medication.  She said it felt like there were a million things running through her mind at once and she couldn’t focus on any of them.  She said she felt like she was going crazy.  She couldn’t believe the difference the medication made.  She feels like she can actually function now.

See, I used to be one of those people who didn’t believe that ADD/ADHD was real.  Or maybe it is real, but it was VERY over diagnosed.  That kid isn’t hyper, he is a kid.  So of course when the teacher called to tell me she thought I should get my oldest son tested, the first thought was “he’s the youngest in his class” or “he’s a little boy”…etc. 

Now I know it really is an under developed part of the brain, not being able to communicate with other parts of the brain.  My son needs medication to create those neuro-pathways. 

If you break your leg, you get a cast…no one looks down on you for getting a cast.  Why is there such a stigma for ADD/ADHD and the medications for it?  Why do I still see “the look” when I say that he takes medicine?

Going through this, the biggest lesson I am learning is to not make snap judgments about other people.  I am the worst.  I gossip.  I judge.  I am a busybody.  I am starting to try to stop these behaviors, but it is hard.

I don't care that the Blue Power Ranger has an Octozord...

Two of my kids have labels.  I don't like the term special needs.  All of my kids are special and all of them have needs.  Ugh.  My oldest has recently been diagnosed with ADHD.  He is 7, so I kept telling myself that he was acting like a 7 year old.  Very active, very talkative 7 year old.  He loves to talk.  He gets that from me.  I can't help myself.  I have to fill silent gaps, and I don't do it well. 


A few weeks ago, I was getting my nails done with my bestie....a rare treat.  At one point I turn to her and I say "Did you know that the Tower of Terror is a mauve-y brown color because you can see the backside of it in the background of the Moroccan pavilion if you are looking from across the World Showcase Lagoon!?"

WHO THE FUCK CARES?!

Anyway, back to my 7 year old who does the same thing but instead of random Disney trivia, it is some new theory he has on the Power Rangers....His teacher calls me in January to let me know he CAN NOT SIT STILL in class.  I agree, I have noticed it at home, etc, and I ask her if she thinks we should get him tested for ADD/ADHD?  She sighed with relief and was glad that I brought it up because most of the parents she has this conversation with curse her out...WTF?  Seriously people, these teachers(at least most of them) are just trying to do their jobs and the LEAST we can do is NOT curse them out!

So I tell my husband we need to take oldest son to get evaluated and his first response is a very defensive "He's only 7!"  Ok, so I decide to sit on the issue for now and see how it goes.  Well fast forward to March and things are getting worse and not better.  So I made the appointment.

After spending 45 minutes with my child the (highly recommended, by several different sources) doctor comes out to speak with me.  With very wide eyes she says "My evaluation is only half way completed, but yes he ABSOLUTELY has some form of ADD."  She went on to explain later that within minutes of their meeting he started pacing the room.  When asked to name 3 wishes, at the 3rd wish he trailed off and started talking about her clock....lol.

So now we are in the process of trying out medications to find the right one.  This particular 7 year old is playing this to the nth degree...