Reflections of 2010

I got a reminder to reflect upon what I've learned in 2010... Good thing because I've got only 45 minutes left before it's 2011!

This free photo collage generated with Smilebox

What to start?  It's been a crazy eventful year to say the least.  I started off the year trying to run a new business... leading to switching places with DH (him staying at home, and me going to "work" for a month).  That didn't work out (but I learned a lot, which have led me to other great and wonderful things) so I went searching to work for someone else.  I got told by a recruitment firm/ temporary job agency that my competition would always win for any work because I hadn't been making money for over 4 years (wow! that's long, but seriously this is the most rigorous and challenging unpaid job that's helped me grow).  I got incredibly ill with some kind of lung infection for over a month or so... even took really expensive and horrible tasting antibiotics that didn't even help me... somehow ended up being a full time mother again :)

In the course of the year, I got to read some very interesting and valuable books on beliefs, the mind, spirituality, the brain, diet and nutrition, NLP (neurolinguistic programming) and other personal development topics.  How blessed am I!  I count and reflect on the things I'm grateful for every day.  It's a practice that I started when I was very young and just continued.  It wasn't until this year how important and life-saving this practice is.  An example would be from the movie The Secret.  DH and I watched this together and thorough knew that we had attracted it into our lives.  If you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it.

We discontinued ABA therapy with Little R, which lifted so many mental aches and financial burden.  We decided to move to Ottawa.  DH suffered over a month with also some sort of lung infection that significantly inhibited his breathing.  Yet he managed to repaint the whole house among other heavy "touch-ups" in order to sell the house.  We were going to move to Ottawa because we believed that there would be better services and opportunities for Little R.  During the course of trying to acquaint ourselves with services for autism, DH hooked up with a parent support group in Ottawa on the Internet.  It was through one parent on this group that DH because interested in the Son-Rise Program (a program that I had previously been introduced to, and was very keen on trying - but we hadn't abandoned the ABA at the time).  Small steps led to a higher altitude.

The house didn't end up selling because of an issue in the roof insulation.  It was a huge disappointment, but now as we have even higher altitude, we understand what a blessing it was.  We've since learned to really appreciate the area in which we live.  We've altered the rooms in our house so many times that my friends swear that something is always different! 

As for the kids, they practically got to go to Toronto to visit Withrow Park (and Mommy got to eat excellent raw food from Good Food Conspiracy) and their grandparents every weekend.  We got to play in the leaves during the Fall.  Life has been really good!  Why?  Because we see it as so. 

Little S and Little R have grown a lot physically and have gained many self-help skills.  Recently in the last week, Little R has taken on the role of a typical big brother and has started using wrestling moves on his little sister.  Little S is not frightened, however.  She still bosses him around telling him to "back up", "get down", "come here", "eat this", "shhh - quiet!" and the list goes on.  She's even started calling him by name in the last week, and now she won't even refer to him as "GaoGao" nor to herself as "MoiMoi" - she's learned that English speakers refer to each other by first names not titles.

Little S loves birthdays!  So this is one thing DH and I have taken on as a mission for 2011:  be more festive and celebrate more.  Yay!  This will also aid us in helping Little R with is Son-Rise Program (SRP). 

Little R loves licking the freezer and refrigerator, eat apples until they're half eaten, riding on this sister's tricycle (which, by the way, Little S just started doing yesterday!), banging doors - it's will be great when I can provide him with a safe "Yes" room, so that I can also keep the rest of my house safe and unbroken and perhaps even unlicked.

What is the most important thing I've learned this year that will impact my thoughts in 2011?  That my beliefs determine how I behave.  Knowing this, I enter 2011 with thoughts of hope, love, happiness and health.  I believe that 2011 will be a year of incredible growth.  Every day I wake up happy because I am grateful for the air that I can breathe, the strength that enables me to move my body to enjoy the innocent and cheerful vibrations of my children.  If you count all the things you're grateful for, you'll find more and more goodness in your life.

May you all be happy and healthy - "Live long and prosper." (Spock)

Kim

Little R and Little S Reflections of 2009

Little S:

Hawo! HaWO! haWOoO!
This year I turned one year old
And every day I get more bold
I learned to fall, then I learned to walk
I learned to scream, then I learned to talk
I learned to eat with a fork and a spoon
I learned the shape and name of the moon
I learned to order Brother around like Dada
I learned to cry louder and louder for Mama
I learned to read some words
I learned to name some birds
I did this usually on the toilet seat
As I sat and played with my feet
I learned to clap and sing
I learned to dance and swing
I learned to cry loud at night
to get Mama to turn on the light
I visited the dentist to fix my sore gums
When I left, I cried and sucked my thumbs
I didn't want to leave because they all liked me
"Oh, she's such a brave little cutie!"
I met Barney at Ontario Place
But didn't get to see his real face
I'm learning to swim with Daddy
Every second Sunday, just him and me
Brother and me love Thomas the train
and looking out at the pouring rain
Next year I'll try to clean and sweep
and not to cry and pee when I sleep
I'll try to ask politely
Instead of pointing forcefully
Dada and Mama will be happier then
I'm ready to learn more in 2010!
---

Little R:

Hallo. Cookie. Fanfan (rice).
I still enjoy my babbling during the day coupled with my running patterns in the house, but lately I've been enjoying good nights of sleep thanks to Daddy who sits there to control my inner laugh. Things seem so funny sometimes.

I started a nursery school program in January, only to withdraw in May. I spent my summer working hard to learn to look at people, respond to my name, say hi and bye, mand for what I want... I'm still working hard. I can sit down now when you tell me to, but only when I want to acknowledge you ;) My hair has been cut short twice this year. Maybe they'll let me grow it next year longer.

School will start again next week. it's been nice to spend more time with Sister and Mama, but I am looking forward to going back to my new nursery school where there are lots of teachers who understand my special needs. I am learning to articulate and communicate there, and am encouraged by other students who are trying too.

In 2010, I look forward to eating more rice and possibly some organic eggs from free run hens after I get cured of my allergies. I hope to be able to communicate more effectively so that others understand rather than misunderstand my behaviours. I also look forward to music classes and how to play the piano.

Happy New Year, everyone. Live long and prosper! (I learned that from a character named Spock in a Star Trek movie)