Birthdays Synopsis

We are recovering from Birthday season.

Leora kicks it off August 17.  
Then Gregory picks it up again on September 15.  
Finally, Fred and Charla run it home together September 23.

I get Winter to myself and Kai rules over Spring.

It's been a great Birthday season, though.

We celebrated Leora's actual birthday with Inga and her beau, Eddie.

  We did a drive-in movie with popcorn. 

 Her cake had little fondant kitties representing each member of the family.

Then she got to celebrate it again in Tucson.  She was serenaded by the staff at our favorite Mexican restaurant, "Molinito's".


A month later....

Gregory enjoyed a family birthday.  He got to play Minecraft with his papa most of the day.  We had nachos for lunch and Cici's Pizza for dinner.  He got many Minecraft-themed gifts. 


The highlight that day was DEFINITELY when he got to pick out his own kitten from a shelter adoption group at Petsmart.   


It was just going to be Gregory getting a cat (to replace our lost Cinders)....

(no kitty could truly replace our beloved Cinders)

Then Charla fell in love with a sweet little calico.  We reasoned that since her birthday was 8 days away, the kitty could be her gift.  (Now Leora feels that justice will not be served unless she gets a kitten next year, too.)

Meet our black kitty,  Lapiz, named after a precious stone in "Minecraft" 

And our Calico Serena, named so because of her serene personality

And we wrap it up...

(sadly, I could not find my camera OR my phone during the party, so you'll have to use your imagination)

Charla and Fred celebrated their birthday together.  The invitation was open to everyone in the ward.  We had about 10 families show up, bringing food to share (we provided the chili dogs and cake).  We splurged and rented a bouncy castle.  We took over the pool, pushing out the drunk college students who usually dominate it.  The kids got thoroughly filthy playing in the beach volleyball court sand.  We wrapped up the party with a Pinata.  Fred got to give it the final death blow, spraying the delighted children with treats and Dollar Store trinkets.

The next day Fred's classmates came over for birthday fun.  Charla loved being the center of attention as she  eagerly unwrapped her gifts- they totally fawned over her and even let her give them little make-overs with her new play make-up.

One of them got to put his engineering degree to use by helping Kai assemble (and repeatedly put back together) a Transformer toy someone had thoughtfully gifted to the birthday boy.  Who wasn't Kai, but he claimed it as his own.

Throughout the week leading up to the big birthday weekend, and on into the next week, a stomach/intestinal bug slowly worked its way through each member of the family.  Somehow we managed to keep it from ruining the fun.

Now that the excitement has died down, Leora is already planning next year's birthday party.  Here is the list she made today: (Sarah M. is a little friend in her class, I first learned of when Leora interpreted this for me)

If you look closely, you can see words along the top, shining through from the other side.  They're from Leora's "homework".  

Kindergarten Vocab words so far are: am, the, little, I

She begs for homework, so I arranged them with her last name:
“I am the little Olsen”.  She loves writing it over and over again

PHEW!  That's a wrap!

Why Cats Drink Water

At dinner my 4-year old theorized why cats like to drink water.  It went something like this...

Leora: I know why cats like to drink water so much.

Me: Why?

Leora: Because it reminds them of fish, who live in the water.  And cats like to eat fish.


That's sound logic to me.

Smell-Triggered Memories

For dinner tonight I cooked a German family favorite: Schnitzel and Kaesespaetzle (YUM!!).  It was also fun because I decided to whip out a table cloth and we used the good dishes and crystal goblets (nothing truly expensive- just special to us.  And shiny).

While Gregory acted grossed out by the kaesespaetzle (I had spaghetti noodles ready for him in anticipation of such a reaction), Charla inhaled deeply and exclaimed with delight, "OH!  This smells like Oma Gisela's house!!"

When we visited my mom's mom in Husum, Germany, this was one of the meals we ate.  That was over 1 1/2 years ago!  She turned 5 on that visit.  It was so heartwarming.  I'll have to call Oma Gisela to tell her about it... 

Notice our Steins in the background??  

Germany, too ;)

And Kai is up to being his adorable self.

Flattered

To get our official orders to move to Texas, there are about 1,000 hoops we have to jump through.  OK, maybe only a dozen (big ones), but it's still a pain.

Today I jumped through my "dental clearance" hoop.  They cleared me for moving!  I was also mistaken for at least 5 years younger.  Unfortunately, NOT because I look so youthful.  The dentist confidently estimated me younger than 25 when he observed that one of my wisdom teeth is crowning.

When I thanked him for the compliment, he explained that most people get their wisdom teeth between 18-25.  Oh well.  He encouraged me to get in touch with a dentist in Texas to talk about getting em' out. 

Joy.

At Kai's dental clearance check-up yesterday we finally figured out why his 2 front bottom teeth are such different sizes: before breaking through, his right one had fused with the next tooth, appearing as one big tooth.  For some reason it never occurred to me to just count his teeth.  I would have come up with an odd number. 

They said it's uncommon, but should not indicate future dental anomalies.  Still, this IS Kai we're talking about...

My Boy and Me: 2 Diagnoses

We've suspected for years, but now it's official: Our 8-year old has ADHD/Asperger's Syndrome.  At the end of this school year we completed his IEP (Individualized Educations Plan), so we now have legal measures in place to ensure he has access to fair education and treatment (aka- he can't be punished for just "acting up").

Here's a link to a great site by a guy with Asperger's.  It has brief, funny descriptions and cartoons of common traits in kids with Asperger's Syndrome.  

http://www.dudeimanaspie.com/2012/04/dude-im-aspie-kids-edition.html

While the ADHD has been obvious for some time, there is no clear test to determine whether someone is an Aspie.  The biggest indicators for Gregory are:

• His severe sensitivities to stimulation, like light, sound and touch.  He gets irrationally upset and even outraged at people, accusing them of maliciously hurting him when they've just bumped into him in passing.  He can't stand tags, rough clothes or anything he feels is tight.  Certain food textures he can't handle either.
• He gets hyper-focused on one particular thing for an extended period of time.  When he was little he was proficient in EVERYTHING to do with trains and construction vehicles- all the mundane details and facts that would bore most adults.  Right now it's Lego's.  He has numerous set numbers and pieces memorized, and calculates how much allowance he must save up to buy which ones when.  He even uses a Lego CADD program to design his own models (that we could then buy if we were filthy rich)  And he will tell you about it non-stop unless you pointedly ask him to stop- another common trait in Aspies.
• He takes everything literally.  Sarcasm is a foreign language to him, meaning he tends to get offended by people trying to be amusing.
• He's an avid rule enforcer.  Aspies are often referred to as "the policeman" of the environment they're in.  This doesn't usually win many friends :(  He also has to feel that there is "justice" in everything.  He has no flexibility with rules and sees most everything in black-and-white, A + B always = C.
• He struggles with transitions.  We've been concerned that this could be a problem with the nature of the military being so mobile.  But so far, if he can anticipate big changes, like a move, he actually gets excited about it.  It's the unexpected, minute-to-minute changes that send his world careening into chaos. Like if we suddenly change our schedule that morning, he becomes very irritable and will even pitch a fit.
• He rarely will look you in the eyes.  When I observe him in social settings, he is most comfortable with 1 friend or by himself.  Some Aspies are completely indifferent to whether people like them or not.  I think Gregory will be the type who is sensitive to it, though.

As for me...

 

More of surprise, but in retrospect painfully obvious, I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 2, which is the less severe type.

For me it explains so much of how I've lived the past 15 years of my private life (Biplor disorder usually develops in teenagers during puberty.  I'm certain that was the case for me).  People generally only share the best stuff for everyone to see on facebook.  At least I do.  I've often agonized about the perception some may have of me being a "super-mom".  Of course, those who are really close to me know better.  Like my kids :(

Now that I have a better understanding of why I respond to and perceive situations the way I do, I am able to be more subjective.  I've also started a conservative amount of medication that has made a vast difference in my mood swings.

I feel terrible about relationships that I didn't treat right, past and present.  Understand that I do NOT blame my actions on the diagnosis, but I can see now how my poor decisions were magnified by the disorder.  But now that I'm getting treatment, life is SO much more bearable and I can move forward.

When I was first diagnosed, almost a year ago, I was unsure about who to reveal it to.  There is a very negative stigma attached to anything to do with Bipolar disorder.  I was a bit ashamed and worried that people would think I'm some kind of psycho.

But I recently read a good friend's revelation on her blog about her struggles with depression and her realization that by keeping it to herself, she may be denying someone else the chance to make connections that they may need to seek help, or at least not feel alone in their struggles.  I realized that that applies just as much to me.

Medication and therapy have by no means cured me.  I still struggle.  But I no longer feel controlled by the passions and ambitions that used to consume my life.  I'm so grateful for the promptings of the spirit, and the support of my faithful, loving and PATIENT husband, that gave me the courage to seek help.

Blog Resurrected

oooooh boy.

15 months since my last post.  Almost 16.  Unforgivable.
 Facebook snuck in and took over my cyber-life-documenting. 

But lest you never see my numerous posts on facebook, be comforted in knowing that the Olsen family is, indeed, still living and breathing.  Even if it is in a sauna.

Let's see what some of the big bullet-points from the last year were...

• 8 birthdays since my last post.  I'm not 30 yet..!
• 2 Anniversaries.  Most recent was our 10th!!

• 1 Baptism.  So Proud of our Gregory.

• 4 nights spent in a hotel while our floors got ripped up downstairs after they had warped into treacherous peaks.
• 5 teeth lost, the most recent one tonight.  All Gregory's.
• At least 6 trips to the ER.  Some for sickness (Charla's debilitating UTI on Thanksgiving), the rest for stitches and butterflied owies (Kai bit through his upper lip.   Kai gashed open his forehead.  Kai, etc...)

• 1 official business launch for Debbie, who, in addition to orders from individual clients, has had 2 house portraits commissioned by the corporation that manages housing for the entire Air Force, with the agreement to commission at least 2 more.  Who knew.

• 1 family trip to Tucson (the first since Fred commissioned in 2008).  Everyone, our family and the rest of the flight passengers, arrived to our destinations relatively unscathed. 

• Fred ran and survived (barely) his first Tough Mudder near Atlanta, GA, Feb 11, 2012.  He had a blast freezing to death with some of his coworkers.  And getting really muddy.

• 7 cats total.  Black kitty, Ella, had a litter of 5 on Labor Day.  It was literally a dark (the power was out) and stormy night.  It was a wonderful experience, ultimately ending sadly.  4 kittens found great homes and we kept 1.  Before winter ended this year the mommy and kitten both disappeared.  

• Countless tears shed by all.  Original cat, Cinders, still warms our feet with purring and affectionately claws the couch when she thinks we aren't looking.
• 3 classes of Air Force Officer trainees, 13 weeks each.  Fred was their fearless leader and has been recognized by the squadron, unit, and even the wing.

• 3 additional duties Fred has bravely held, each managing the various finances for all of Basic Officer Training (budget, pay, etc).  He's tired.
• 0 days of snow.
• $0 spent on keeping our house at 71 degrees year round.  Thank you to the Air Force for paying our utilities.  
• 2 minivans.  Our beloved 2002 Honda Odyssey, nicknamed "Ci-Ci" gave up the ghost.  4 times in 1 month.  So she has been lovingly traded in for a sleek black 2011 Toyota Sienna EX.  Name yet to be determined.

• 3 official diagnoses:  They have confirmed that Gregory has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome.  Debbie is Bipolar, type 2.  More to follow.
• 14 months of in-home speech therapy for Kai.  He just wasn't talking.  Which was only a bad thing because he was acting out aggressively instead.  He still needs more therapy, but he no longer bites, mauls, and careens into people to ask for things like "more milk".   
• Fred pinned on Captain! 

 

•  2 times the landscape maintenance crew cut our cable line.
• Numerous fabulous Air Force social events.  This is our second duty station, but this is the first time we've felt like a real part of the military community.  Debbie has had a blast getting involved with the Officer's Spouses' group and doing various exciting things with other OTS wives.  She will dearly miss her sisterhood here.

And finally (just because you're probably wondering when this list is going to end and nothing else impressive comes to mind)

1 Air Force career change.

Fred was informed earlier this year that his current career field, Finance, is downsizing.  He could stay in and risk getting rifted (Military for "laid off"), OR change career fields.  While Finance wasn't exactly AWFUL, he hesitated about 1.6 seconds before accepting the offer (officially accepting it after conferring with me, of course).  So what does this mean?


WE'RE MOVING AGAIN!

As much as I had dreaded living here, all in all it's been a wonderful experience.  We've loved the community, Fred's assignment and all the people we've met in it, our beautiful historic house, the school on base, being less than 2 miles from Fred's work, the wonderful ward we've been in, and the free landscape maintenance... even if they did mess up our internet twice.
But the time is right to move on.  The way things stand, we'll be pulling out of Montgomery, Alabama July 28th, to arrive in San Angelo, Texas for 8 months of training before moving on to our next base.  We won't know where that will be or exactly what Fred will be doing until after Christmas this year.

I'm sure I missed other note-worthy experiences, but here's what I've got.  Hopefully I'll be more diligent about keeping this up.

Gong Hey Fat Choy

That's the phonetic spelling for how you wish someone a happy new year, in Chinese. Translated, it's actually closer to, "May you become prosperous."

For Gregory's homework, he had to go to a specific website and find out what Chinese year he was born and then complete a worksheet. Turns out he was born in the year of the Ram (2003).

I wish I could say I'd been planning this already, but I tend to do some of our funnest family activities on impulse. Fred came home a little early, so he watched the kids while I grabbed stuff at the store to make a "traditional" Chinese dinner.

I found a great recipe for Sweet and Sour chicken. It was a little involved, but SO yummy! We also threw some frozen Kung Pao eggs rolls and cream cheese pockets into the oven, and served it all up with steaming rice and sweet & sour dipping sauce.

We already had these fantastic learner chopsticks for the kids.

(goofy kid... I imagine most Chinese folks don't drown their rice in margarine)

Fred learned as a kid- I never had the patience to learn, but tried again tonight. I lasted for about 1/3 of the meal.

Whatever it takes...

and defaulting back to the hands.

Apparently, they celebrate for 2 weeks. I don't think we'll draw it out that long, but I'm hoping to pull in a few more concepts.

Anyways, "Gong Hey Fat Choy" to everyone!