3Dz Mommy

Broken foot = no computer

2008-08-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been on here for a while I broke my foot in May 2008 and have been layed up. Sitting at the computer just wasn't possible until now. Hopefully tomorrow I get the cast off and I will start physical therapy.
I broke two bones in my right foot, dislocated & rotated a third bone, not to mention snapping several tendons including the main one if the arch of my foot.
OK, update of the family stuff.
Zayben wasn't ready to potty train so we stopped pushing until he is ready. Since he had another surgery on his throat and had his tonsils out in April it was just as well we stopped for a while. Then I broke my foot so wasn't able to get up and help him with using the potty. He is now starting to show signs of wanting to go. We went a head and let my nephew Kevin use the Potty Monkey and he is now in big boy pants and doing pretty good. Zayben will use the potty chair when Kevin is here. Kevin and Zayben are only a few weeks apart in age.
My daughter Dezmon graduated from high school in June and turned 18. YEAH no more dealing with my ex-husband. Sorry but when you have to deal with visitation paperwork just to plan your holidays every holiday and it seems like taking turns just to see your child's school actives or games, you know it was not a nice divorce.
Dan-O 16 has been working as much as he can this summer to save money for football, plane tickets for DAB (deaf academic bowl) and plane tickets for basketball competitions to be held in Calf. this year. He will be class pres. again next year and will still be going to WSD (Washington School for the Deaf).
Devôn is 6 and still as hyper as ever and bouncing off the walls as usual. We have stopped giving him the ADHD meds. during the summer and working at helping him learn to control his actions without meds. He is doing better but still has tantrums when things don't go his way but that's pretty common with kids even is they aren't ADHD. He loves playing in the kid pool in the yard and playing video games.
Well my foot is throbbing and I have been at the comp long enough I'll check back in again soon. Have a great summer and thanks for checking up on what's new in our lives.

Everyday stuff 4-16-08

2008-04-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

Lets see.....
If you don't know Dan-O is 16 and stays during the week at the Deaf School and comes home on weekends. He started there this school year. He went in with little or no signing ability. We live about and hour north so not too far for this over protective mommy. He stays in the dorms because I felt that it would be best for him to be totally immersed in the Deaf culture and he would learn faster not just the academic signs but everyday used signs. He went from ready to drop out of school his freshman year in high school and talking about only working in construction or something like that to a 180°. He is on the honor roll, Class Prez, DAB-deaf academic bowl regional competition, playing sports all year: Football, Basketball, Track, has a wonderful girl friend, talking about colleges: RIT, Galadete, etc. Dan-O has found a whole new world available to him.

I am still on the outskirts of this community and culture. I'm hard or hearing too but was raised by a hearing family that tried to give me the opportunity of living in the hearing world. I really appreciate that they gave both my sister and I a chance to lead as normal a life as possible in the hearing world but we are both finding that we not able to much longer. My hearing is better then Trish's but still finding everyday life more isolated then it used to be. I have volunteered in Headstart, Progress Center (birth to 3yrs disabled children), community programs boards (eg. WIC, low income med. & dental clinic), etc. but I my hearing has dropped so much that I only get a few words in the meetings or have to have people repeat what was said and constantly remind others to talk louder. I'm having a hell of a time learning sign, I have the basic words down needed to give directions to Zayben, animals, colors, etc. so I can talk to a 2 year old but not enough to have a small conversation. I understand more then I can sign, but it seems that my hands don't want to do what my head is saying.

I know I'm not the only one with these problems, worries, and fears but sometimes it feels like Trish and I are in this together and all alone. I'm not a pity me person but every so often it just gets to a person. You know?!

Last night one of Dan-O's friends Geo and his sister showed up at my house in the middle of the night and needed a place to stay. Geo asked if he could live here and his sister just needed to stay until they could find their mom. Because of some bad choices there mom lost their place to live and were homeless for a while. Apparently the kids have been living with grandparents but things aren't working out, so they came here. Everyone knows if you need food, a place to sleep, or someone to talk to I'm here for them. I had found Geo sitting at an outside café in the middle of the night a while back and brought him home with us. He had planned on staying there until time to go to school the next day. Not in my world. Kids need somewhere safe to sleep, a good meal, most of all that they are loved and someone gives a damn about them. Geo stayed a day or so and went back to the place his mom was staying even though he didn't feel safe there. I don't know the whole story but she is staying with friends. Apparently he went to stay with his grandparents soon after that.

This isn't the first time I have taken in someone else's kids. We were privileged to have Dalton stay with us all last year until he was able to move back in with his mom in July. I have taken in other kids over the years some for a few weeks and others for longer. I think of each one of them as mine! I'm very lucky that my husband is understanding and loving, he is willing to except each kid and willing to put up with the special circumstances each one brings. I haven't ever had any legal custody of these kids because I wanted the parents to be able to take their kids home with out having to deal with all the CPS bull. Plus I don't know if I would be eligible to be a foster parent because we don't have a lot of money to deal with all the legal stuff. To me it's not a money issue but a love issue.

Well Devôn needs some mommy time so I'm outta here.

Zayben Potty Monkey Day 2 through 6

2008-04-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

Ok Friday was my bussy day of the week. I have so much going on I wasn't able to keep up with Potty Training. In fact I forgot Zayben's potty monkey at home. Yes I heard about it when we left but didn't have time to head back home for it. Later in the evening we did try a few times but I was very tired I didn't push too much and let the pull-up do the work. Bad mom I know.

Sat. when we are out and about I didn't worry to much about making him try. Other then when we were at the grocery store and I had to go so took him along too. The seats are so high he wasn't able to try to stand at the big people potty so I had him sit down. OPPs he almost fell in he is just so little and public toilets have a wider hole then the ones at home. We did pick up some "potty candy" as he calls it. (gummy bears and gummy worms) If he tries he gets 1 gummy bear, if he actually goes he gets 1 gummy worm.

Sun. was a relax and spend time with the family day. When my teens are home we play games, family outings, or just mess around the house. He tried several times but still isn't able to go in the potty. He does sit and try but it seems that it is just after and accident.

Mon. was a little better he actually he went potty 2 times! Yeahhhh Zayben!!!! It was only a few drops once and a little puddle in his potty chair. He was soo excited he got 2 gummy worms that day. Monkey was carried around most of the day by the tail and Zayben even told me when Monkey said he had and accident. (Potty Monkey will ask 3 times to go potty and then say he had and accident if you don't get him on his potty) Apparently Monkey didn't want to wait while Zayben was playing trains. ha ha

My sister is doing the reward system with her son but has found that she has to set a 15 minute limit between candy, because Little Kevin can tinkle a little and a few minutes later a little more he was making a killing on the candy until she set the time limit for him. Zayben hadn't figured that out yet. Like I said before each child is different. Little Kevin seems to be able to potty on demand but is very stubburn and only when he feels like it. He will fight, or go limp on the floor rather then even try. So she just keeps asking nicely and tries to bribe him. We will be getting him a potty monkey of his own soon maybe that will help modivate him a little more.

Tues. was ok when Zayben go home from headstart (8:15-11:45am) he went right in and changed his pull-up and tried. He still isn't able to go when he tries but at least he is trying. By 3 pm when big brother Devôn got home from kindergarden he was done trying when monkey wanted and hid monkey under his bed. I have hearing loss so wasn't able to find monkey until him husband got home from work about 8pm. It was soo cute Zayben was singing the potty song with monkey last night. He has hearing loss too so some of his words aren't the best but you can deffinetly make out the song. Zayben sang the song over and over while he was taking time on his little potty chair. If I could have recorded it and added it to this blog I would. I'm so glad every day that I have the best kids in the world.

Zayben's Potty Monkey Day1

2008-04-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

OK sense we are selling the Potty Monkey I decided to get one for my youngest Zayben age 3. He has had some delays in development because of a few medical issues. I'm really hopeful that this will help him move on from Pull-Ups and my changing diapers.

OK we got the box in the mail yesterday and he was so excited he got mail and it was big box. He loves getting mail but keeps asking the mail person where's his pizza too when they bring a package. Maybe I should stop ordering Domino's so much. Back to my story we get the box and Zayben opens it. "WOW! a monkey! a monkey! a monkey!" He is running around the front room.

We all gather around to open the potty monkey and see what all is there. Everything is tied down good so it wont get broken in the mail that's good now I know that when someone else gets one for the distributor its in good shape. My 6 year old Devôn wants to take all the fasteners off and Zayben wants the monkey NOW. My sister Trish and I get everything out and are really pleased to see that you can get the monkey to talk when you squeeze it hand.

While the kids look at the Potty Monkey and the child's book 'Monkey Learns to Potty', Trish and I check out the directions and and the parents book 'The Potty Trainer'. Pretty easy to set the timer on the monkey it has 3 settings on one little switch inside the monkey. 30 minutes or 90 minutes and monkey will ask to go potty, or you can leave it free talking with no timers and just press its hand to make him talk.

We picked 30 minutes because Zayben is just starting. Right on schedule the monkey asked to go potty. He will ask 3 times over a few couple of minutes if you don't get him to his potty he will say he's had an accident. The Potty Monkey really does talk and sing a little song while he is on his potty. About every 20-30 seconds he will say something new and positive about why he is so happy to go potty or sing his potty song.

Well the first couple of times the monkey went off yesterday Zayben was really excited and made it to the potty. Granted he didn't actually go but he tried. By the end of the day he was trying to put the monkey on the potty but didn't want to try himself. I'm a little passive with my youngest (maybe I don't want my last baby to grow up to fast wink wink) so I realize I need to be a little more persistent that he try even if he doesn't actually go. I do know at this stage if I were to punish him it would be wrong, he would hate his new potty, and may even become scared of the bathroom.

About a month ago the Dr. said that even having him tell me after the fact when he has an accident is good, because he is learning he doesn't want to be wet. Each child leans at a different pace, age, and time it takes. Some are fast and have it down in as little as a week while others may take a month or so. (My daughter was potty trained at 1 1/2, my oldest boy 2, and my middle boy at 4 1/2 almost 5.) Don't get discouraged if they don't just automatically start going all the time or have an accident from time to time, or even after they have it down. To a kid playing with the car, doll, or TV show may be more important at that moment. After all they are kids and don't have the same priorities as adults do.

I'll write more later tonight or tomorrow about how things go today.

3Dz Mommy basic background

2008-04-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

Ok I'm new at this so not sure where to start. Maybe a little back ground about me.

My friends call me Nay (not giving my legal name)
I'm 35 years old and happily married (for the 3rd & last time).
I have 4 great kids: girl 17, boy 16, boy 6, boy 3
3Dz is each childs first initial - DDDZ (yes my youngest is my little z)
My sister and I have started our own internet business together 3Dz Family.
This is our first website http://www.PottyTraining2Bedwetting.com.
Because of kids & hearing loss we needed a job at home where we could help support our families.
My sister is my best friend even if I did pick on her when we were kids.
My sister has 3 kids: boy 13, girl 8, boy 3
We have a huge extended family we are close to, but we have raised our kids like siblings more then cousins. If you knowtessed we both have 3 year old boys only 3 weeks apart. More like twins where you can send one home at night.
We live in Washington State, green trees, the ocean, and a volcano in my back yard.
Family is the most inportant thing to me. PERIOD!!!
I was a teen mom so I started real young, waited 10 years and started again. Now I'm the youngest mom at High school functions, and the oldest at headstart meetings.
I think I'm a positive person and I like who I am.
I'm short & plump now but someday either I'll loose a few lbs or grow up. Ha Ha
My sister and I were raised by our grandparents.
Now I sound like them: use your manners, show respect, no your bf or gf cant stay the night, when I was a kid I didn't have...
I sort, wash and fold laundry but it never gets put away.

Well I need to get to that laundry, so will add more later.