An evening spent with a couple of queens...

The Queens I speak of are men. There is something hilarious to me about men dressing as women. The guys from Monty Python did it and they were almost always old women and that was even funnier. I am not sure what it is but men in drag is funny - perhaps it is because these three guys...

Became these three "ladies"

Years ago my good friend Amber shared a movie she watched a lot over the years. Great movie, very funny and last night a movie theater in Tempe was actually showing it on the big screen. We watched it to have a good "girly" time AND - for me - honor and morn the loss of Patrick Swayze. We could have chosen to watch him as a surfing bank robber, dancer, big brother to outsiders, Demi Moore-loving-Ghost or fighting the Russians in Colorado. Of course it is too much fun instead to see him as this:

Too Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar is about drag queens. Drag queens on a cross-country road trip. Two of the 3 actors are men with amazingly muscular bodies. They have incredibly tiny waists, buff arms and no hips. They have extremely flamboyant and atrocious outfits, makeup and hair. To see Vida Boheme, Noxeema Jackson and Miss Chi-Chi Rodriguez is just too much fun

Miss Chi-Chi Rodriguez: I'm a princess. "P" to the "R" to the "N" to the "cess". I'm a princess.

Vida Boheme: I think tomorrow is a "Say Something" hat day.

Thanks Patrick, Wesley and John for making me and my girls laugh last night. Patrick we love and miss you.

There are those doing better and those doing worse

Everyone complains. Everyone vents about their day. Everyone has pity parties for themselves. I have been in and out of one for months.

But when I read other people's blogs and talk to other people there is one almighty truth that is clear. No matter what you complain about or what trial you are going through there are always people who have it worse than you AND there are always people who are doing really good.

I guess the lesson there is have your moments of complaining and venting cause look at your neighbors who just bought a brand new car or boat while you struggle to get groceries. You have a right to dwell in heartache when you see other "typical" children making friends and able to go to stand in line at Disneyland. BUT don't have too long of a pity party cause there are many out there whose house has been foreclosed on or hasn't worked in a year. There are those people whose child has been in the hospital for months fighting cancer or just found out their child has a debilitating disease.

Okay that lesson was too long winded - which is one of my bad qualities I am trying to do better. So to summarize:

There are those doing better than you and there are those who are doing a lot worse so have a short moment of pity and then try to move on to just appreciating what you have - right here in the now.

Staying positive helps when you have a smile...

Brody wouldn't eat his tofu chocolate pudding so I gave it to Ryan. Couldn't be cuter!!

HOPE

Hope is something that I have always believe in. I came across this video on another blog. But during this time in my life it really touched me deeply and I wanted to share.

7 months old

Today we celebrated the birthdays of 2 family members both are uncles / brother-in-laws. I am not sure if Ryan was unhappy to share the day of celebration cause it took away from his 7 month birthday. So he had a tummy ache that made him cry a lot.


But just the same I would like to mark the occasion how I always try to do and that is with some fun pictures.


Ryan is at such an adorable age. He is very interactive and, probably cause he is the second, he wants to always be with people and be involved. Ryan wants to hurry and get bigger cause he is frustrated that his body can't crawl, grip things better, feed himself, run, walk and jump.

He still only has two teeth. They are coming up a lot more. Ryan fights sleeping and napping more but I think he is like how Brody was and is constantly teething. He is eating a lot more baby food. Last time we went to the doctor he is 18 1/2 pounds! We are working on our sitting up and tummy time so that hopefully he can crawl soon. I say that not cause I want him to cause I know he will be everywhere but I am only eager for him to do it cause Ryan is VERY frustrated by his lack of movement!

We love our little Ryan

Always trying to be like Daddy!

Coming along...

So the process of getting Brody a diagnosis is slowly coming along. We have an appointment in October to have him seen by a psychologist through Southwest Behavioral Health. Though Brody has been seen by one before when he was about 18 months since he has not improved much the previous evaluation from more than a year and half ago no longer assures us of no autism.


The previous two appointments we had this summer were "gathering information" appointments. I didn't really get that explained to me till I got to the appointments. It just sort of sucks when I go to an appointment feeling like perhaps Brody's condition will become more clear as is the path to help him. Instead it is an hour and half of explaining to staff the things Brody doesn't do and what is wrong with him. Necessary, I know but still quite disheartening. Since I feel I have done that lots in the past year and half.


While that has gone on at the same time our pediatrician referred us a couple months ago to a developmental and behavioral pediatrician. I know we already had something going with Southwest Behavioral Health but just the same I wouldn't mind getting Brody into a couple specialists. Besides this doctor is beyond qualified and his specialty is rare so I think a diagnosis, advice and direction from him would be imperative.


It took about 6 weeks just to have an opening for new patients and then a few more weeks to even get the paperwork to fill out about Brody. They require so much information from the preschool and pasts therapist and those sort of things. I had to gather it up and send it in before our first appointment.


So I am saying all this cause yesterday was our first visit to that dr's office. It was with a nurse practitioner who specializes in the same area. It was also a "gathering information" appointment. She was really nice and really helpful with immediate advice for Brody's sleep problem (he doesn't get nearly enough and that has been since last summer - a child his age shouldn't have dark circles under his eyes). The result was what Jake and I have been preparing ourselves for - "at risk for an autistic diagnosis". Since she is a nurse she cannot give a diagnosis. That will be left up to the dr. But she went through the correct forms and checklists that shows the extreme likelihood Brody is on the Autistic Spectrum. But she said some hopeful words, "he is most likely autistic based on this information but there are many autistic habits and behaviors that Brody does not display". That might sound strange but it helps to know that if Brody is autistic he is not very severe.


I have papers and forms to fill out in preparation for the next appointment that will be with the dr. It will help come to a conclusion of where Brody might be on the Autism Spectrum. Since the dr's specialty is so rare and the rate of children with autism and disorders like it are increasing in a crazy amount it is no surprise that the soonest our next appointment can be with the dr isn't until December. Although that sucks that we have to wait I guess there isn't much I can do.

In the meantime my family and I are working towards helping Brody get healthy with more sleep and a diet that has helped many autistic children. These are the only things currently I can do to help him. We pray and hope for the best results. Also I have him back in many different therapies since he is on long term care so I am hoping between that and preschool Brody will start to slowly improve.


I am just trying to calm my brain from going back and forth from being sad about Brody's imminent diagnosis and its possible causes that frustrates me AND being hopeful for a change in Brody that I long for.


Sorry, I guess my posts have been such downers lately. But why be fake, this is my life, why act as though my life is anything but the reality that it is.


To leave on a cheerful note I will follow with pictures of my adorable boys. I love them so

Waiting for the bus and playing with cars

Always loving the outdoors

My sweet boy

As close as I could get to a picture of them both!

One of the few words he can say is "cookies"

Dressed for church - yes that is a pink shirt!!

Can you tell I love babies in "dress" clothes

This is what he looked like before I cut his "bangs" off

First time in grass

Changing my life and the life of our family

As we are still working on the many appointments to get Brody re-evaluated and a diagnosis the very big possibility and reality of Autism is here. My dear sister Jada had me read...

Despite some cursing which of course didn't offend me cause I cared more about the content and message of the book more so - this is an amazing book. If you have a loved one or family member who is affected by the disorder of Autism READ THIS BOOK. Autism is an epidemic - 1 out of 94 boys are affected!!!!!!!

I am sad, upset, overwhelmed but at the same time empowered and hopeful (not sure if it possible to feel all of those) with Brody's future. Changes can be implemented to help him and some can be done before he is even diagnosed.

Not that this is an announcement that Brody is Autistic but I thought I'd share what has been eating up my time on the phone, Internet and my brain!