Author Archives: Heather M

After teaching special education for several years, Heather M recently decided to make the switch to full time mom to her three children, ages 8, 6, and 2. She plans to add an adorable three year old boy to the mix in early 2011 when she and her husband fly to China to complete his adoption.

Prepping for a Trip Away

Oy. My husband and I leave in about a month to travel to China so that we can complete our adoption. While the kids are in good hands with grandparents, I still worry and feel guilty about this. When we adopted my youngest from Vietnam, the trip took about 2 weeks. This trip will be similar….

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Sick.

With very little sleep, words aren’t coming to me today. Will is sick, presumably with an ear infection that is leaving him lacking sleep and not wanting to eat. It is a delicate tightrope we walk. With his mito dysfunction and without sleep, his GI system starts to have issues. When the GI system has…

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Goodbye 2010

Our year in review: January:  Will enrolls full time in his new ABA based school. The two year old begins a toddler/preschool class once a week and cries every morning at drop off. Heather makes a new year’s resolution to stay fit, enjoy her kids, and worry less. February:  The two year old no longer…

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Going to the Movies

Traditionally on extended holiday breaks, one (or both) of the grandmas suggest taking the kids to a movie. It is one of those activities that makes me cringe inside because I’m never quite sure how Will is going to behave once we get there. Sometimes I opt out all together or just send the girls….

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The Case for a Continuum

I attended my son’s IEP meeting this morning. Usually I leave emotionally exhausted after listening to all of the things he can’t do and all of the progress he hasn’t made. Today’s meeting was different. In January of this year, he began attending an ABA based school, designed for kids on the autism spectrum. His neighborhood school…

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bringing healing

**This post is from my blog, Thoughts from Holland. With our current adoption picking up speed, I went back and re-read posts from the days after we brought my two year old home. I worry about Will with each change we make in our family, whether it is adding a child or simply changing the…

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Date Day

When Will was born with a rare chromosome deletion, his older sister was 22 months old. For the next year of her life, she had a mom who was grieving off and on. Several years later, Will now has a two year old sister in the mix. I have the same worries that I imagine…

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Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving. Giving thanks. Being thankful. Every year, despite the constant hum of chaos in my house, I am reminded to stop and give thanks. This year in particular, I am thankful for my four wonderfully unique children. My oldest, who turns 8 in less than two weeks, is an easy child to parent. She brought…

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When imitation isn’t flattering

My two year old has been in a stage of imitating everyone around her lately. As these things go, I find it pretty adorable.  Until she tries to imitate her six year old brother. Not so cute anymore. Her brother, Will, was born with a rare chromosome deletion that few kids in the world share. There are…

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