andrew is doing REALLY good w/his speech therapy. he's been working w/the speech therapist since august. i am just amazed how his language has just exploded this past month. andrew's starting to put 2 words together & is almost on par w/peers for the # of words he has. i credit it to the speech therapy and the electric toothbrush massage the therapist has us do above his top lip & now by the bottom corners of his mouth(this one is to control drool). we're pretty sure language was so behind because of poor muscle tone/coordination. it's improving a lot w/the massaging. still can't get a lot of letters yet, so once he's 2 the therapist is going to ask the county for 1 more hour a week(that's how much we get currently).
here are some of his favorite things to say:
"du(juice) t(please)" as soon as he wakes up
"ta tay"(thomas train)
"ddd"(dvd)--he knows what's important to him...lol
"see tha"(see that)
"hi day"(hi daddy)
"talla"(collin)
"lella"(yellow)
"o"(orange)
"lie"(lights)
"dih tee"(big tree)
"dih tay"(big train)
"lih tay"(little train)
"buh-buh"(bubble, although 30% of the time he uses D instead of B)
"wa-wa"(water--we got that 2 weeks after starting the toothbrush massaging)
still..with all of this progress, i feel bad for him that he can't use verbal words to tell ivy & collin to back up/give him some space or not to take his toys.
Journey: n. An experience or process that leaves you changed; trail of experience. From here to there.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Christmas Letter & Card
I really dropped the ball on this one for getting it out on time. This is our Christmas letter, as written by Tom. This card was made from the photos Dina took of the kids w/Shelly. I'm sending out the last of cards tomorrow & Monday.
"Dear Friends and Family: It's that time of year again. No, not time for taxes, but it might be almost as painful. It's time for the infamous Gee Family Christmas letter.
Andrew had his first birthday this year. Due to his limited vocabulary, we were suspicious about his developmental progress. He was evaluated by professionals and they concluded that Andrew has a speech delay. He has responded well to speech therapy, and continues to make progress. He is still the most eager to talk on the phone out of the kids. He is a very social, happy boy.
Collin had his 4th birthday this year, and started his 2nd year of preschool. He continues to make slow, but steady progress with his motor skills (like putting on clothes) and voicing his needs. Collin was potty-trained this year, mostly because of Mindy's efforts. It is a rare day when Collin has an accident, even overnight.
Ivy began Kindergarten this year. She enjoys having friends and learning to read. She likes practicing basic addition skills and she even tests her parents' math skills, too. Ivy's favorite part of Kindergarten is getting her weekly prize for good behavior. She looks forward to this, more than anything else at school. Ivy improved her swimming abilities last summer, and can now, almost swim unassisted. Ivy is a very capable, if shy, 6 year-old.
Mindy is the figure behind the scenes, responsible for facilitating everyone else's growth and successes. She works with Collin and Andrew's therapists so that the boys can progress. She volunteers her time to help out in Ivy's class, from time to time. She keeps Tom motivated to keep on working to provide for the family. She also finds the time to maintain her personal fitness level, too. She won an informal fitness challenge (among friends) for seeing who could do the most exercise during a 3-month span. Jillian Michaels (from the Biggest Loser) and Denise Austin better watch out. Here comes Mindy!
Tom is the winner of an all-expense paid vacation to Kuwait. It was graciously funded by your tax dollars (through the U.S. Coast Guard). Ammenities include motorboat tours of the local ports, intermittent/censored Internet access and a 360 degree view of barbed wire at the hotel "Camp Patriot". Tom is not lacking for any tangible items or services.
His first impresions of the deployment were that it was like being on welfare. There were lines to get government hand-outs (equipment), and he was sustained by government checks. Deploying from San Diego to Kuwait left a different impression. The base is surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Except when the job requires it, Tom rarely leaves the base. It's a lot like prison. Tom plays chess with his roommate, which is also a nod to life in a POW camp. His fun-filled tour will come to a crashing end in early July 2009.
We're doing o.k. Thank you for all those who are helping out Mindy and watching the kids while Tom is playing with the boys in the "Sandbox." Many positive developments occured in our lives in 2008, but the upcoming year holds much for our family to look forward to. Merry Christmas, and I hope you have a happy new year.
Andrew, Collin, Ivy, Mindy and Tom"
"Dear Friends and Family: It's that time of year again. No, not time for taxes, but it might be almost as painful. It's time for the infamous Gee Family Christmas letter.
Andrew had his first birthday this year. Due to his limited vocabulary, we were suspicious about his developmental progress. He was evaluated by professionals and they concluded that Andrew has a speech delay. He has responded well to speech therapy, and continues to make progress. He is still the most eager to talk on the phone out of the kids. He is a very social, happy boy.
Collin had his 4th birthday this year, and started his 2nd year of preschool. He continues to make slow, but steady progress with his motor skills (like putting on clothes) and voicing his needs. Collin was potty-trained this year, mostly because of Mindy's efforts. It is a rare day when Collin has an accident, even overnight.
Ivy began Kindergarten this year. She enjoys having friends and learning to read. She likes practicing basic addition skills and she even tests her parents' math skills, too. Ivy's favorite part of Kindergarten is getting her weekly prize for good behavior. She looks forward to this, more than anything else at school. Ivy improved her swimming abilities last summer, and can now, almost swim unassisted. Ivy is a very capable, if shy, 6 year-old.
Mindy is the figure behind the scenes, responsible for facilitating everyone else's growth and successes. She works with Collin and Andrew's therapists so that the boys can progress. She volunteers her time to help out in Ivy's class, from time to time. She keeps Tom motivated to keep on working to provide for the family. She also finds the time to maintain her personal fitness level, too. She won an informal fitness challenge (among friends) for seeing who could do the most exercise during a 3-month span. Jillian Michaels (from the Biggest Loser) and Denise Austin better watch out. Here comes Mindy!
Tom is the winner of an all-expense paid vacation to Kuwait. It was graciously funded by your tax dollars (through the U.S. Coast Guard). Ammenities include motorboat tours of the local ports, intermittent/censored Internet access and a 360 degree view of barbed wire at the hotel "Camp Patriot". Tom is not lacking for any tangible items or services.
His first impresions of the deployment were that it was like being on welfare. There were lines to get government hand-outs (equipment), and he was sustained by government checks. Deploying from San Diego to Kuwait left a different impression. The base is surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. Except when the job requires it, Tom rarely leaves the base. It's a lot like prison. Tom plays chess with his roommate, which is also a nod to life in a POW camp. His fun-filled tour will come to a crashing end in early July 2009.
We're doing o.k. Thank you for all those who are helping out Mindy and watching the kids while Tom is playing with the boys in the "Sandbox." Many positive developments occured in our lives in 2008, but the upcoming year holds much for our family to look forward to. Merry Christmas, and I hope you have a happy new year.
Andrew, Collin, Ivy, Mindy and Tom"
Friday, December 26, 2008
1 month almost down, just a little over 6 more to go
At least..that is the plan. We will see as the time gets closer.
Whew! I made it thru the first month. We've had a lot of 30-ish minute phone calls. Usually once or twice daily. It's hard though. Kuwait is 11 hours ahead of California time, and Tom is typically working night shifts there while I am on a daytime schedule here, falling asleep early each night. Sometimes when he calls it is 1:00 or 2:00 a.m (Kuwait-time). I am thankful he cares enough to check on us.
I have not been blogging much. I am getting more exhausted these days. Tolerance/patience level is way down..usually I'm ridiculously patient, especially with the kids. Grouchiness is way up..my daily cardio has been lacking. That and my emotions & feelings are all over the place. Not really processing anything. No time and to be honest, I don't really feel like dealing with certain things right now(of course, I grew up with the mindset of "if you ignore it long enough, maybe/eventually it'll go away"). Just have to keep moving forward. I also am trying to be the strong one for the kids.
Not really sure how I should be feeling. I feel like I am losing my mind and my sense of self. Everything is usually about the kids or Tom. I don't get much "me" time..not even the bathroom for 5 minutes without all heck breaking loose. Someday.
PS. Is it bad I have mostly stopped reading a good friends' blog because things go so well for their family compared to our challenges(not even including Tom's deployment)? If anyone is actually reading this post, it is most likely NOT you that I'm referring to.
Whew! I made it thru the first month. We've had a lot of 30-ish minute phone calls. Usually once or twice daily. It's hard though. Kuwait is 11 hours ahead of California time, and Tom is typically working night shifts there while I am on a daytime schedule here, falling asleep early each night. Sometimes when he calls it is 1:00 or 2:00 a.m (Kuwait-time). I am thankful he cares enough to check on us.
I have not been blogging much. I am getting more exhausted these days. Tolerance/patience level is way down..usually I'm ridiculously patient, especially with the kids. Grouchiness is way up..my daily cardio has been lacking. That and my emotions & feelings are all over the place. Not really processing anything. No time and to be honest, I don't really feel like dealing with certain things right now(of course, I grew up with the mindset of "if you ignore it long enough, maybe/eventually it'll go away"). Just have to keep moving forward. I also am trying to be the strong one for the kids.
Not really sure how I should be feeling. I feel like I am losing my mind and my sense of self. Everything is usually about the kids or Tom. I don't get much "me" time..not even the bathroom for 5 minutes without all heck breaking loose. Someday.
PS. Is it bad I have mostly stopped reading a good friends' blog because things go so well for their family compared to our challenges(not even including Tom's deployment)? If anyone is actually reading this post, it is most likely NOT you that I'm referring to.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Family Pics--late August/early September? '08
These(and the several previous posts) were taken by Tom's brother-in-law, so we could get in family pictures this year before Tom started his pre-deployment training. This is, I think, Brea? at the Tri-City Park.
Family Pics
What a cutie! I'd like to go out with this girl. (Tom wrote that, while trying to leave a comment)
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