A Fear Come True!

Okay, so it's not as bad as the title makes it out to be, but I suppose it could be.

Most of you know that the twins have only been potty trained for less than a year. While I am still rejoicing in that fact there are still some hard things about it. One of them being their lack of a need for privacy. They just go in the bathroom and don't even bother with the door. I know most kids are this way but they do this at other people's houses and in public restrooms. I am usually with them and make sure they know they have to shut the door. The other issue is that they feel like they can just come out of any bathroom without putting their pants back on. Again, they do this at my parents house and have done it at other people's houses too. We are usually quick to catch them. I am usually with them in a public restroom so I am quick to make sure they don't leave the stall without pulling up their pants. Matthew has done pretty well with this but Jonathan just doesn't care. He is constantly walking around the house with his undies and short wrapped around his ankles. He thinks he needs help getting them back up but he CAN do it.
I am sure you know where this is going. Today my mom and I decided to take the boys to a local pizza place called Peter Piper Pizza (a smaller scale chuck e cheese). My mom and I were helping Matthew and Luke play some games while Jonathan was busy climbing in the tunnels and going down the slide. Somewhere along the way he must have decided to go potty. I am not sure which restroom he used, Men's or Women's, but he went in and went potty. Neither, my mom nor I was aware of this until, one of the young men working there came walking around the corner with Jonathan who, you guessed it, was walking around with his undies and shorts around his ankles. We explained to the worker that he was Autistic and he said he understood, but some people might not. I was mortified. I did get his pants up and tried to explain to him how he couldn't do that. I try and tell him this at home every time he does it. Thankfully, the restaurant wasn't crowded because we were there after lunch and thankfully no one complained. I am not sure if anyone else saw him. I just don't want this happening again and I am not sure what I can do about it.

New foods.

I just thought I would update you on what the twins have started eating. I know I mentioned a couple months ago that Jonathan had eaten a hot dog for me and corn dogs. He now eats a corn dog or two almost everyday for lunch. I still have to de-corn the corn dog, but hey, I am just so happy he is eating them.
Matthew was a little slow with eating new foods and all of a sudden in the last month and week he has broadened his menu. It started with trying some carrots during Occupational Therapy. She has been working with feeding issues with them for about 3 months now. Then a couple weeks ago at a graduation party he decided he would like a bite of watermelon. He took a bite and didn't like it but he did finish what was in his mouth. Then this week he asked to make a ham sandwich because he wanted to eat it. I let him make half a sandwich because I didn't want it to go to waste. He ate it. The last 3 days he has eaten a ham sandwich for lunch. He also ate a bunch of grapes at VBS this week. I am just so happy that they are eating some new things.

Jonathan's Loss and Gain.

For the past couple of weeks Jonathan has had a very loose tooth but it just wouldn't come out. Last week it was really bothering him but no matter how much we wiggled it the tooth just wouldn't come out. It was a very tiny tooth and we couldn't get a good grip on it. We left it alone the past couple of days and this morning I just decided to ask him how it was doing. He opened his mouth and I noticed that a new tooth was already coming in. I stuck my finger in his mouth and pushed the baby tooth out. He complained for about 30 seconds and then was fine. So he lost his first tooth today and already has a new one coming in. Matthew, who lost his first tooth in February, still doesn't have his new tooth in yet. On an interesting twin note, When their first teeth came in the both got their front bottom tooth in but Matthew got his left one in first and Jonathan his right. They also lost those same teeth first. We have long suspected that they are mirror image twins from other things about them and this is just another to add to that.

I tried to get some pictures of the missing tooth but didn't have much success. Here they are anyway.

It's his front right tooth or your left. Yes, he has crowns in his mouth.

I don't know why he had to close his eyes when he opened his mouth. You can see the new tooth in this one.

He then decided he needed his picture taken with his Dinoco Helicopter. Luke wanted his picture taken too but was not happy that he didn't have the helicopter. Matthew is playing the piano for us in the background.

Schools Out, Now What?

I am back!

School has been officially out now for a week and a half and I am already ready for the twins to go back. I reinstated "quiet time" almost every afternoon. The boys can tell time on a regular clock now and they have one in their room. So I always let them know when they are allowed to come back downstairs. Most days they fall asleep. I do this because Luke still needs his nap most days and Mommy needs hers now too.
In case some of you don't know, child #4 is on it's way to the Crazy Rosenbarker house. I am pretty sure I am due towards the end of January. Let's just say this is going to be one of longest Summer's for me. Trying to take care of 3 crazy boys and fight first trimester yuckiness is not what I had planned for the Summer. I keep remembering I was pregnant with the twins during one of the hottest summers we have had. (Of course all our summers are HOT.) At least it was quiet and I could rest whenever I wanted. It should be interesting these next couple of months.

Next week the boys have VBS at my mom's church and other than that we don't have a whole lot planned this Summer since we took our big trip in March.

I just wanted to update you on what has been going on here and keeping me away from blogging. I will try and get on here more frequently and let you all know how things are going.

Random Pictures from the Past Month.

Luke needed a picture of his new fashion style. He did this to himself.
Luke got this workbench for his birthday. It came a couple weeks after the fact but he was very excited. I put the whole thing together. Go Mom! < A couple weeks ago I took the boys (by myself) to a local park that has a few rides including this mini train. They did very well and cannot wait to go again this Saturday. Matthew calls it the carnival. Riding jet ski boats. I was really surprised that Luke got on because he does not like carousals, but he did great.





Luke started going to Rainbows on Sunday night at church since he is now 3. Here he is in his new uniform.

The boys were playing in this box that contained the twins new bedding. Oh how fun boxes are. This reminds me I need to get pictures of the new beds.

Matthew asked me to take his picture one morning before school. I thought he posed very well.


Luke wanted his picture taken yesterday morning. I think he wanted me to take a picture of the red balloon. This kid loves having his picture taken.

Life

Well, it took a few weeks but life has slowly returned to normal since our trip. Life was pretty quiet and peaceful for a few weeks and now things are back to the way they were before our trip. The twins are all over the place, all 3 of the boys are fighting again. Luke has been sick twice and I feel the need for another vacation.
There are less than 3 weeks of school left and then the real fun begins. The only thing I am looking forward to this summer is the fact that I will not have to get up at 6:00 every morning. I take that back. I will probably be up at 6:00 but I won't need to get out of bed to get the boys ready for school. Have I ever mentioned that the boys, all of them, wake up with the sun? This is such a lovely time of year when you hear your kids at 5:30 in the morning.
My goal for the summer is to potty train Luke. Didn't I just get finished potty training the twins???? I did attempt to get things started a couple weeks ago but Luke is a pretty strong willed child and he pretty much refused to go in the toilet. He went in his room a couple of times and even in my closet. Most days he would just wait until it was nap time and I would put him in a pull-up and then that pull-up would be soaked through in a matter of a couple of minutes. I know he can do it because this past Fall he was going in the toilet a couple of times or more a week. I guess I just missed my opportunity, but I was in the middle of getting the twins potty trained. Oh well, he definitely knows he has the control in this area. This week he has been sick and I haven't pushed him. I am hoping this summer we can get it done so he can start preschool in August.

On a side note... Jonathan has begun to eat hot dogs. I know it is not the most nutritious food out there, but let me tell you I am so thrilled we have added another main food to his meal menu. It is a great thing for him to eat at lunch. He also likes corn dogs, but I have to take the corn part off, so it really is just a hot dog. He has been eating both of these at school for months now and I was so excited when he finally said "Yes" he would eat one at home a couple of weeks ago. This past week he ate fish nuggets at school so I am hoping I can add this to his diet in a little bit.

Well, I think that is about all I have for tonight. I will try and post a few pics of the boys soon.

Decisions, Decisions.

We have had a few decisions to make around here recently regarding all the boys' schooling next year.
About 2 weeks ago Matthew's teacher called me wanting to know if I still wanted to keep the boys at separate schools next year. She works very closely with the head of the autistic programs for Mesa Public Schools. At the time I still wasn't 100% sure about keeping them separated but they do a lot better when they aren't together for long periods of time. So I told her to keep them at separate schools. For the past 2 weeks I have been debating that decision in my mind and out loud with Eric. He knows they do well apart but also knows how confusing it is to have the 2 of them at separate schools. He usually just goes along with what I feel is best for them. Earlier this week I almost called to see if I could change my mind but then decided against it.
Well, this morning Matthew's teacher called me again. She said they had a new situation come up with some of the programs and that there is now a way that the boys can both go to the same school and be in separate classes. At Matthew's school they have a separate autistic first grade and then second and third are together and fourth, fifth and sixth are together. Starting next year they will now have a separate second grade. She suggested putting Matthew in the second grade class and bringing Jonathan into the first grade class. I really think this will work out so well.
To answer your questions about Matthew being in the second grade class. No, he is not skipping a grade. Technically he will be in the second grade class but still considered a first grader. His teacher feels he is more at the level of the kids in that program and will fit in really well. I think he will do well too. He does have that early October birthday so he won't be much younger than the others and he is a pretty tall boy so he won't be the small kid. I am just so happy that this opportunity came along it is such and answer to prayer.
Jonathan might take a little while to get used to a new school but I really feel this will benefit him as well. In his class now there are a couple of kids who are for the most part non-verbal and highly aggressive. Jonathan has been bringing home some of their behavior and I really wasn't looking forward to him being with these kids again. I hope that doesn't sound mean. Jonathan's school does not offer a first grade program but instead has first, second and third all together and I was not really looking forward to that as well.
All in all, I really think this will be so nice. They can ride the same bus and Jonathan won't have to get picked up at 6:55, which means I get an extra 20 minutes to stay in bed. Which is always nice.
We also decided to put Luke in a preschool program next year. He will be attending a preschool at my parents church. He will go 2 days a week for 3 hours each day. I really feel that Luke needs this. 1. He is so smart and really needs to learn how to use his knowledge. 2. He needs to be around "normal" kids and make some friends. He loves his brothers dearly but he really loves the interaction he gets with other kids. I really think he will do well. I am so very excited to see what the Fall will bring to our family and I feel such a peace about all the decisions that have been made this week.