From Christmas

I'm going through pictures, working on Veronica's picture-a-week thing, and I just found this one. It's so, so representative of Maria and Anthony's relationship. Just this morning she was dragging him around, pulling him by the shirt, to show him that she had opened the fridge. Mike said yesterday when he was looking for Anthony, he was yelling "Anthony!" and Maria would yell, "Anthony! Where are you?"

Phew

Anthony ran out the back gate today and was lost for about ten minutes. It felt like a lot longer than that. We always feel fine about leaving him in the backyard, as both gates are locked, but someone broke the assembly on the gate last night so they could break in our garage. It's impossible to say how scary and horrible it was, we are just so relieved and happy that he was fine. I am thinking of moving - I can't take these break-ins anymore, we are doing everything we can to stop them and they just keep happening. I don't know if we can stay here anymore, we can't risk Anthony getting out again. Thank God it was Sunday, because it's not too trafficky. Through the week there are a million cars going by. I can't even think of what we would have done if something happened to him.

Veronica's Birthday

Anthony, jumping super HIGH at Veronica's party. He got a little freaked out, probably at the many people at our house, so we put on his vest. He had a good day, overall. He is the best sleeper of the three at this stage, God help us.

Better

This week Anthony got a lot of good feedback in his book from school. He was happy and giggly and more like himself. He has been sleeping more normally and we are all so, so happy about it. Next week I have his case conference for school, I don't know what the plan will be for next year. He's not going to start Kindergarten, but I do want him to get his therapies, so maybe I'll do what they call drop-in therapy and he'll just go for the morning and then we'll take him to his school for the rest of the day. We'll see. I am just trying to take it one meeting at a time.

Nature Boy

I hope this picture is okay. You can't see anything, right? So if you're looking for a thrill, PERVS, look elsewhere! I just think it's funny that he TWICE took off his clothes to run around the backyard. Determined to whoop it up naked, he is! I went to get him at school today and his new therapist said what a GREAT day he had and how HAPPY he was and how CUDDLY and SWEET and I almost cried. He is usually like that, I said! Last week was just a bad week! I feel defensive because - well, it got kind of weird last week, I felt like he was SICK and everyone thought we weren't DOING ANYTHING about it. Of course, Mike and I would do anything for him, I sort of think that goes without saying, so it's rough when we feel questioned on it. ANYWAY. Our new thing is that Anthony has been crawling up on his dresser in the night and ... falling asleep? The night before last, he fell asleep up there and then threw up all over himself. Sheesh. He's all better now, it must have just been a bug, it hit me too, but still. That dresser thing is tricky. Tonight Mike turned his dresser around and we're hoping that works and if not, and maybe anyway, we are going to get him a captain's bed with drawers. I saw a cute one at overstock.com (which I love, because HELLO $2.95 shipping) and maybe we'll get that. He is an expensive child! But worth it!

Favorite Son

Here's my little baby boy who made me a mother. Ha, I'll say he did! I bet Mike would say it too!

Twelve Hours

Anthony always starts to fall apart about 12 hours after he wakes up. I was downstairs with the baby around 4:00 and heard him and here he is, 12 hours later. He has been doing better, thank GOD. It was a really long, horrible week. One thing I realized is that it was a full moon during the time that he was freaking out, and I think maybe that was it. Some friends of mine on Facebook were saying that crime rates go up during the full moon, so why not? It makes as much sense as anything, I suppose. He had a minor tantrum this morning and I will tell you what - it will melt the coldest heart, to see that poor baby so sad and upset. Even when I am mad and over it and so tired, it just kills me and I feel so bad for him. SO. Hopefully it will all start to get better. I am counting on it!

ROUGH

Ooh-wee we are having a rough few days with Anthony. He gets better for a little while, and then out of nowhere, has these terrible tantrums that feel like they are never going to end. It's crazy, you start to fear for the future, because you think if he was bigger and having a tantrum like this, he would kick my ass. I can only hope that he gets over it, and that if he wants to communicate something and can't, we can get him the tools he needs. I just don't know what they are right now. I am hoping it's better tomorrow, but I am doubtful.