Growing up

The kids are growing up. Some wise person once told me that the years go fast but the days go slow. Cody is now 21. He is legal to do about anything at this point. Unfortunately he doesn't do much. He rarely comes out of his room. He has tried finding a job to no avail. He had trouble with school and is on academic suspension(which I don't understand. If I want to throw money at the school for classes what business is it of theirs if hes passing or not passing. It's MY MONEY! he got absolutely no financial aid) He has since been diagnosed as autistic. We have known for years but no one would ever say it. I have tried getting a diagnosis since he was six years old. so now we have a 21 year old hermit. He does help me around the farm and with kids though.

Chrysta is almost 19. She is at school at Normandale, paying her own way, living at her dads. She was home for a visit this weekend. It was so great to hug her and have her here. She was only here a short time but spent most of it with her sisters and a little with me. There wasn't much fighting. That's always good. She is finally growing up a little. Although when it comes to Cody she still argues like crazy.

maia diana natasha juno sophie on a girls day out

ben and andre. birthday twins. exactly one month apart.

chrysta

cody

Jaeger maia juno diana natasha

Diana and Natasha

Ethan

all together

jack and mama

jaeger andre ethan and diana. maia mama and natasha in background

Junoe and mama

sophie first day of fourth grade

chrysta and ben. sweet love

Jaeger is 13, 14 in December! Yikes! He has been a roller coaster. He spent some time in a group over the summer to learn to handle his anger and deal with situations that are frustrating. He seemed to do really well when he first finished the program but that has worn off and its been a difficult couple of months. The last several days he seems to be calm rational and even caring(although getting up for school is difficult. but most teens are that way) His bestest friend moved nearby and he can ride his bike over there and often does. He and Ethan have the most animosity. its a constant battle between the two. Jaeger has a way of only doing things out of sight so he can deny it and Ethan has a bit of paranoia and claims everything Jaeger does is against him. Mostly I try to keep them apart to avoid a fist fight. Lately I have started talking to Jaeger about how HE has to walk away because Ethan cant. Sometimes Jaeg walks away now. progress!! He is learning to play the sax at school where he is in sixth grade. He has had a few run ins with disciplinarian there but after I assured Mr. S. I wanted to hear EVERYTHING he did I havent heard too much. Hoping that means he is behaving and not that he just isnt getting caught.

Natasha is 13. She is beautiful and smart and usually kind.  She is in sixth grade also. She is playing flute. She also plays a bit of piano. She has her moments as all kids do but she is really a sweet girl and I love her to death. She helps me a lot. This year Natasha was chosen to run cross country with the varsity and junior varsity cross country team. She started out coming in at 18th place and ended the year coming in 3rd! And she shaved 2 minutes off her time running the mile. She is very much a dream child, as well as a straight A student. She has big dreams and she isnt afraid to go get them.

Ethan is also 13. He too is in sixth grade. He struggles a bit more academically due to his fasd. He also went to the program Jaeger went to and it didnt help him one bit. not even a little. I wont lie he is a difficult kid to live with. He has many behaviors that are difficult to deal with. His very much lives in his primal brain. Life is fight or flight and it is NEVER EVER flight. A mere suggestion can set him off. He can be very mean to his brothers. As much as he feels Jaeger is out to get him he is mean to Ben without a second thought. Most interactions with Ethan are negative. There is not a single day without yelling. He is never responsible for anything that happens. its always my fault, or our fault, or someone elses fault. If he can't find his shoes, its because someone took them, not because he left them out by the trampoline. He is improving at math and can read a real chapter book now, although he still prefers garfield or calvin and hobbes. I dont know what his future will hold. I hope I live to see it.

Diana is 12. She is giggly and silly and FUNNY. an all around character. A great student and loves to bake goodies. She loves her dog. She likes her rabbits but doesn't like taking care of them. She is fussy and ridiculous sometimes but she is a good girl. She cracks me up DAILY. every single day. She loves movies. She loves SHOPPING! She loves eating. Unless its spaghetti or beans and rice. She hates working but tolerates it because we pay her well for helping out around the farm. Diana is going to grow up and do something awesome. Something funny and awesome. I dont know what it will be but she will do something without a doubt.

Andre is 12 and oh boy has puberty done a number on him. He is ornery sassy and knows it all. NO ONE can tell him anything. he already knows it all. except he doesnt REALLY know anything. He makes me crazy most days. He loves basketball and working. but of course you cant tell him HOW to do anything. He is in grade five where he is doing ok. he has fas also. He shares a room with jack and ben and they often giggle into the night. He doesnt sleep much.

Ben is going to be 12 on the 24th!!! My Ben will be 12!! I cant believe it. He was five when he came home. He is still so tiny! he has fas also. He wears a size 5. He may be 12 but he is very much still a little boy. He loves cars more than anything. and his stuffed pug. He is pokey and slow at anything. but he is sweet as pie and everyone who ever meets him adores him right off. He is very slow academically as well. but he is making progress. He seems to know right from wrong unlike the other two guys with fas. I rarely have issue with behaviors from Ben. He is sweet and cute, and very young.

Juno, aka Junie is my sweet girl. I love her so much. She really is blossoming. School has been a battle because they just want to throw her and jack into fifth grade and expect them to do fifth grade work. uhhh hello that isnt going to work! Last years teacher was really great about finding work at their level.  She took second grade twice in Ukraine. And I know school was NOT something she cared about there. She is trying hard here but they have to give her appropriate work! I am trying to get her an iep based on her physical disability.  We recently did some serial casting on her feet. We didnt make progress. Just enough to mess up her ability to walk on her own.  We dont know what else to do until we have a definitive diagnosis which may still take months. She submitted a dna test for a certain form of MD. We just ordered her a new wheel chair of her own. a BLUE one. she loves blue. Right now she is using a loaner chair. She shares her room with Sophie but Maia seems to enjoy sleeping in there too. She started out sleeping in there with Juno but never stopped. She loves to snuggle up with someone. She always has. Junie loves it too. Its a win win.


Maia is 11. She wants to be 11 forever. She wanted to be 10 forever. she is in no hurry to grow up.She is my love. She is my birth kid so sometimes gets the brunt of some of the other kids anger. She doesnt like to work. She does however do well at school. She loves the animals. She loves her mama and papa. She loves even five minutes of alone attention. She is silly and loud. She tries to get along with most everyone although she does not tolerate Andre well. She is smart and loving. She is a neat kid that sometimes gets left behind and gets her feelings hurt. she is a lot like i was that way.

Jack is 10. We always say Jack is like a puppy. he loves everything and everyone. He loves every new experience. he loves to help. he loves his mama. He and Ben are best buddies. He loves to put the dogs out. and let them in. and let them out. and let them in. His best friend is Brayden and he went to his house this week and LOVED it and cant wait to go again.

Sophie is still my sweet adorable baby. We were just talking about it today that she is the baby of the family and thats a special spot in the family. She is sweet and tries hard to get on juno's good side but it most times doesnt pay off. She is a little spoiled I admit it but SHES THE BABY! Even if she is almost 10. AHHHH!! double digits! She has come so far. she is amazing.