Off With Her Head!

Always an avid reader, Ciara has taken to historical fiction much like her Nana. Her interest of late involves the various women in the life of Henry VIII. She started with a wonderful book about Elizabeth I. The story is told through the fictional diary of the girl as a teen. Ciara was hooked.

Her most recent read is Doomed Queen Anne. She has been engrossed in it for days. The other day she came running into the kitchen to enquire if this Queen Anne was the same Anne who married Henry "vee-eye-eye-eye" after Catherine of Aragon. I confirmed that it was.

After letting out a sigh only a tween could produce, she said, “Well, shoot. Now I know how it ends.” And off she went with sagging shoulders.

How dreadful it is for one to know history. It takes all the fun out of life :o)

A Singular Spirit

Here is my sweet Áine Clare after a half day spent at Childrens Hospital on Wednesday. She was poked and prodded and is in the midst of one of her worst eczema outbreaks ever and yet she smiles.

Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.
Thich Nhat Hanh

Confidence

Miss Ciara told me that while she was in the school office yesterday using her inhaler, Mrs. Martha - school secretary extraordinaire - commented on her beaded bracelet. Ciara told her it was her Medic Alert bracelet and the two engaged in a conversation about Mrs. Martha's diabetic husband and Ciara's diabetic Dad and their Medic Alert bracelets. Ciara shared that Dad often orders extra large Coke in the drive-thru at McDonald's as well as various other forbidden treats.

I shared this with John upon his arrival home. He popped into Ciara's bedroom to say hello and said... "So I hear you ratted me out."

She replied with "It's what I do best."

That's my girl. Know what you know!

Waiting Game

Using my cell phone, I snapped these shots of my three kidlets last week while waiting for one of our fave doctors – their pediatrician.

We spend a lot of time waiting in doctors’ offices, but this lady is worth the wait every time.

I thought I’d share these fairly accurate representations of how each kidlet chooses to pass the time.

A well-timed gift

Where words fail, music speaks.
Hans Christian Andersen

At 4:00pm a very sleepy Brendan stumbled off the bus from school. One of the aides on the bus, who is also an aide in his classroom, shared that Brendan was happy the entire day at school. As the bus pulled away from the curb, Brendan looked at it wistfully. After assuring him it would be back in the morning, he smiled at me and walked to the house.


Upon entering his room he happened on a package that had arrived that afternoon from Nana… a new bodhran! He grinned from ear to ear and began playing. Then he brought it to the living room to share the music with the rest of us.


A big thank you to Nana from Brendan for capping a terrific day!

Music, because of its specific and far-reaching metaphorical powers,

can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.
Leonard Bernstein

Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. -- William Butler Yeats

The lad is back in school for the first time after a – if memory serves – 5 year hiatus. I have attached the qualifier “if memory serves” because I think for matters of self preservation I have blocked out many of those years gone by.

That being said I have posted a picture of my beautiful boy around the time of his first day of school in the summer of 1996 and his return to school as a sophomore in March 2009.

After many years of home schooling and recuperation from shattered spirits from our previous experiences, we ventured back into the world of the public school education system last year at this time. Brendan returned to speech therapy and occupational therapy. He is developmentally ready to move forward. So while we have been thinking about this for a while, between the time of our initial visit to the school, Brendan’s two hour follow-up visit, to the start of school today, things have moved swiftly. Truth be told, a little too swiftly for this PIM, but I know Brendan is in good hands.

His new bus driver, George, picked him up this morning at 7:15am and will deliver him home later today.

Here is his new home away from home... http://www.sldc.net/Home.asp

This changes our family schedule quite a bit, but everything happens for a reason. Adjustments are part of life.

Happy learning, Brendan. You always grace those around you with your infectious smile and spirit. PIM is now reaching for her box of Kleenex and is in search of some chocolate.

The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.
Pau (Pablo) Casals

A funny thing happened on the way to…

pick up Ciara at school yesterday.

As I was loading oldest and youngest kidlets into my minivan, a chicken greeted me at my front tire. I am not a fan of livestock of any sort, in particular any of the poultry variety. After a split second of watching it peck my tire and wondering when TC had become a rural area… hmm this may explain my umpteen flat tires annually… I shrieked and locked us tight in the car. The chicken appeared to squat as I drove away.

Upon our return, the chicken was gone and in its place was a freshly laid egg. This was one of those surreal moments you expect in that fantabulous movie “L.A. Story”. I digress. Brendan immediately high-tailed it out of the car, visually inspected the egg, and prostrated himself all but under my car to see if his beloved mother had killed the chicken who laid the egg. It was a feat, but Ciara and I were able to convince him that the hen had been spared.

Wonder what he’ll think when he comes home to the planned meal of chicken legs for dinner tonight?

Interesting

One of the therapists at the clinic where Áine receives OT and PT attended a pediatric kinesiology taping conference recently. She decided to try it out on Áine's affected left thumb today. As you can see, the thumb is already out of its "tucked under" position. Apparently the tape can stay on for up to 5 days. We shall see. Áine's eczema is flaring at the moment and so far the tape is not exacerbating it so that's a good thing. If this tape ends up being the way to go, no doubt we will be purchasing some in her signature pink.

Lá Fhéile Phádraig Sona Daoibh!

Sláinte is táinte!

The Madigan Clan

May St. Patrick intercede on your behalf

and God be beside you when you walk,

in your voice when you talk,

in your eyes when you see,

in your ears when you hear

in your heart when you pray

in your mind when you think

and in your hands when you touch.

In every sense may it be

that God is with you eternally.

May the power of God guide you,

The might of God uphold you,

The wisdom of God teach you,

The eye of God watch over you,

The ear of God hear you,

The word of God give you speech,

The hand of God protect you,

The way of God go before you,

The shield of God shelter you.

"So it shall be written, so it shall be done."

Running errands with Ciara is always an enlightening experience. She likes to turn off the radio and talk when it's just the two of us. She has shared many things with me during our car trips together ranging from discussing her mother's lack of style (who knew?) to the bittersweet observation of hers that she will never be an aunt. Wow.

The latest happened yesterday when she was talking about her sister. "Áine will be the first special needs girl president," she announced with conviction. I so heart this girl of mine.

I love quotations.

Ciara had her first group CBT session yesterday and one of the papers she brought home had various quotes about thoughts and the mind. (OCD thoughts are relentless. CBT helps you deal with the obsessive thoughts. More to it than that, but you get the idea.)

This one jumped out at me.

"Leave your front door and your back door open.

Let thoughts come and go.

Just don't serve them tea."

-- Shunryu Suzuki

The love of the game

My love for basketball runs deep. Both pro and college. However, nothing beats March Madness. Last night's game with this headline... Syracuse outlasts Connecticut 127-117 in 6 OTs... rocked like no other. It was some of the most riveting TV I have seen in a long time. Even the fact that my beloved Phoenix Suns were losing yet again at the same time can't tarnish what a great game we witnessed.

Not the normal reaction to "school time"...

Áine Clare arose and shone for the day at 4:15AM. This is her reaction to me announcing it was time for school. A few minutes later however she eagerly brought me her leg braces to finish getting ready for her day. We'll see how long she lasts. After school, she has back to back occupational therapy and physical therapy sessions. Good luck today!

The Happy Gardeners

PIM aka ProudIrishMomma aka Alexia doesn't "do" dirt and Áine was chilling to tunes on the ourPod, so here is the rest of the clan enjoying a Sunday afternoon.

Miss Áine Clare

Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity. - Og Mandino

Áine Clare was born on January 5, 2001. She is a green-eyed, curly haired redhead with just a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose and her apple cheeks. Áine embodies all that defines perseverance. She is ethereal. People are drawn to her. She is the social butterfly of the clan. She carries the diagnoses of: prenatal stroke, left hemiplegia, post status right hemispherectomy, intractable epilepsy, neurological vision impairment, dysarthria, and cute as a button! Yes, the latter is an "official" diagnosis.

Áine is the music aficionado of the house and enjoys Andrea Bocelli and Coldplay with a whole lot of Elmo and Irish music thrown in for good measure. She loves her bed and when she chooses to sleep, it's the only place she'll sleep. She loves, loves, loves school. In addition to attending a special needs class at our local public school with the most awesome teacher ever, she attends occupational therapy twice a week, physical therapy twice a week, speech therapy twice a week, augmentative communication once a week, and swimming once a week. She also goes to Ability First twice a week and on Saturdays with her big brother.

Áine is a Daddy's girl and is much adored by her big sister. She enjoys hanging out with her brother and the two are quite simpatico. She likes "talking" on the phone and laughing at the word "no".

Áine has had the right hemisphere of her brain removed, two stomach surgeries, and one major leg surgery and she continues to smile. She is a living, breathing miracle on earth.

Miss Ciara Mairéad

A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.- Chinese Proverb

Ciara Mairéad entered this world on November 10, 1998. She is a brown-eyed, red-headed bundle of passion. There is nothing lukewarm about Ciara.

She is a devoted sister and an exemplary advocate for her brother and sister and for all with special needs. She is currently in the 5th grade at Nativity Catholic School and in 6th grade Math.

Ciara is out-going, an avid reader, star-struck, and has aspirations to be on Broadway! She enjoys musical theatre and all things dramatic. Ciara has moderately severe OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or as she likes to call it... Oatmeal Cookie Dough! (She wrote this section herself.)

Ciara is very loving and caring and has a soft spot for the less fortunate and those who cannot speak for themselves. This old soul is one of God's finest creations.

Brendan Michael

I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

William Butler Yeats

Brendan Michael graced the world on December 3, 1992. He is a sweet, loving, affectionate, gentle boy with brown eyes, red hair and a face full of freckles... "A face without freckles is like a night without stars."

Brendan carries the diagnoses of: moderately severe classic autism, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, panic attacks.

Brendan loves animals of all kinds. We used to refer to him as St. Francis of Assisi because animals, especially birds, flocked to him. He loves the zoo and collecting anything having to do with animals. He enjoys books about animals.

He loves to swim and is a member of the local special needs swim team. He goes to occupational therapy once a week, speech therapy twice a week, and swim lessons once a week. After being home schooled for 5 years, it seems he is headed back to the world of academia soon.

The boy rocks. Brendan has had a challenging life with many years of serious health issues and a few lengthy hospital stints and yet that beautiful, precious smile has never left his adorable face. He is a manifestation of all that is good in this world.

The beginning...

John and Alexia

December 1, 1990

What are you doing the rest of your life? North and South and East and West of your life. I have only one request of your life. That you spend it all with me. -- Alan Bergman

Finally...

I opened this blog site many moons ago, but never did anything with it. I think it's about time. I have no idea what I'll do with it other than post cute pics (past and present) of my three adorable redhead kidlets and offer various musings on life. Enjoy!