whoa baby! this is an update!

Lots going on... as always but I have so much to update family and friends on.
First off, we had a great time homeschooling this week, for the most part of the week we have been learning at home, we did go to co-op on Tuesday. I enjoy low key weeks when we stick around the house. I know it is important for the kids to socialize with other children, but I feel like we go- go- go- all the time so I enjoy the days we hang around the house.
Now that I said we had a low key week and hung around the house- besides co-op, we did have gymnastics, cheerleading, and karate :) and it's only Thursday (well, 12:45am on Friday morning). I just finished my homework for school. Sophia has a basketball game to cheer for on Saturday morning too.
I love this crazy busy life. :)
OK- so an update on my school. This week I made it official. I'm going to complete my Masters in Education with a minor in Education Technology, so that I can, in the future, teach at the college level. I'm hoping while the kids are still small that I can teach online classes (thus the minor). I'm excited and this is always something I wanted to do but there was something kind of intimidating about making it 'official'.
I'm holding on to my Dean's List status and I'm pretty proud to announce that I have a 3.91 GPA. There really is something about paying for your own school that makes you want to do better. I did four years of college with a scholarship and assistance from my mom.. I did good.. well, I did ok, I did just enough to not loose my scholarship.. but now that I'm paying for it myself.. I want to do my best! I remember taking a freshman class with an 'older woman' she was probably only in her 30s, but to me she was 'older', she always made As and I remember thinking. She has no life, she doesn't go out, she doesn't have friends in college, no wonder she makes good grades. What was I thinking?? She was only a mom of 3 kids, who worked a full time job, and she probably was paying for those classes... yea, she didn't have anything to do. OH- how stupid was I??
UPDATE ON SOPHIA
Sophia is doing great. She is excelling with her school work. The neurologist and I have been in close contact. We have met with an occupational therapist and common with high functioning cerebral palsy is a disorder called Sensory Integration Dysfunction (aka Sensory Processing Disorder). Initially I had called the doctor because Tony and I were at a total loss with her behavior. Our days were filled with high emotion and stress, by the time Tony would come home I would be frustrated and need help. Tony would step in and in the few hours of him getting home and her going to bed he would be worn out as well. Tony has always been very patient with Sophia so to see him loose his temper I knew it wasn't just something I was struggling with. It's hard to pin point what was so wrong. There were tons of scenarios and we would constantly play them in our heads, what could we do different, why wasn't she responding, she's so dramatic!! I called the neurologist about 8 weeks ago and talked with him about it. I have read and re-read so many parenting books, I had tried so many different parenting/discipline styles but I felt that the situation was out of control. He listened and listened, and waiting to respond, he then set us up an appointment with an occupational therapist who specializes in neurology disorders... and after an observation, answering LOTS of questions, the conclusion was Sensory Processing Disorder. A name, finally, but what did this mean? Basically Sensory Processing is the way we perceive what happens in the world around us and the way we respond to it. So- sights, smells, sounds, touch, textures, and experiences... it affects many different areas in a person's life. With tools people can live productive lives- awareness and work are key! If you are interested I will suggest reading "The Out of Sync Child" this book was recommended by the occupational therapist and by a friend. At this point the OT has given us plenty to work on and we have already seen HUGE gains. Finally we are hopeful and we are no longer wondering.. does the medicine make her act like this? Why does she seem so out of control? Now, that said, we are not making excuses for her behavior but we do understand it and when we understand it we can better help her handle these high stress emotions.
As far as her seizures are going, she is doing good. Adjusted to the 100mg per day since her last seizure episode. She always amazes me. She is really into baby dolls and animals right now. She is always carrying around a baby doll pretending she is mommy or an stuffed animal. She's getting older now, she gets shy when I watch her play with her toys. She likes privacy :) It kind of makes me sad but I'm also so glad to see her growing and turning into a little girl. She loves getting into my make up, coloring, and play-doh.
UPDATE ON TROY
Last but not least, Troy- Last year I wrote a blog about Troy's breathing issues. The pulmonologist was encouraging us to do a lung biopsy- one of the things they were looking for was Cystic Fibrosis. This really scared me, he had a positive stool test and a negative sweat test... so the next step was a lung biopsy, which I have been 'ignoring'. I just figured his breathing has been doing really well with a daily oral medication and an inhaled steroid and other than a few illnesses when he required additional breathing treatments or higher dose steroids he has been doing really well. This hasn't been an urgent thing and well, to be honest, Sophia has been. Troy has had bouts with "bathroom issues" and I just summed it up to him being lactose intolerant and the possible diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. TMI: but chronic diarrhea, extremely stinky poos, bloating, and poops that float, yes float, these are all symptoms of cystic fibrosis.. along with the well known, breathing complications. Troy hasn't grown, height or weight for close to 17 months and I knew it was time to get back to the doctor because we had to figure out what was going on. So we went to the pediatrician to talk to him about everything last Friday. He ordered some blood work and was going to make the appointment for the pulmonologist for Troy. Then- blood work came back and the levels of nutrition in Troy's blood were very low. His body isn't absorbing nutrients in food. He ordered more blood tests (luckily they did those off of the blood they already had) and turns out Troy has Celiac Disease (sounds scary, but it means he needs a gluten free diet because the gluten in foods prevent his body from absorbing nutrients- that's why he isn't growing). The stool test of Celiac and C.F. are the similar, measure the fat content in poo, thus the positive stool test. So yes, he has asthma and breathing issues but at this point the doctors have ruled out C.F. and instead discovered that Troy has Celiac Disease. Which is great news because it can be controlled with a strict diet. So again, life is changing... Troy is on a Gluten Free diet and in a few weeks he should have no more "bowel issues". HURRAY! There is a ton more to this but I am totally tired of typing.. and I'm sure you are sick of reading. :)
Oh- this is a genetic thing... and once Troy was diagnosed, I requested the blood test as well, yes- I have some "bowel issues" (which I am lactose intolerant so I always related it to that)I have always thought this was just a part of life.. well- my test came up positive as well. So Troy and I are on the special diet together. Sophia has never had bathroom issues so there is no need for her to be tested, but she and Tony are changing there eating habits when they are at home because for Troy and I it is not an option. It is important that I take care of myself, and Troy is growing, his brain is developing, all the more reason he needs to follow the diet so his body can use the vitamins and minerals in food. We are only on day 3 of this so it is still very much a learning experience but I'm so glad there is hope for no more tummy aches! And- Troy should start growing again!!! :) My little man! :) Oh baby- am I going to have some hilarious cooking stories for you in the coming days! ahaha!
Troy is doing great though. He is loving gymnastics class and karate. He is really into super heros, he loves Hulk, Ironman, and Spiderman... I think Troy lives his life to the Ironman theme song.
Yes- Tony is still around :) Good old man! His birthday is this month and if I had not spent wayyy to much time updating everyone on the kids I'd blog about Tony :) But, I'll have to save it for another day.