Spencer's Morning Adventures: Making Tea

I spent too much time last Monday cleaning my roommate's coffee pot (it had mold in it!). It needed done. The pot, basket, etc. were in the dishwasher overnight.

Knowing about our Sleep / Wake Routine for 2023 will help make sense of this post.

Last Tuesday morning Spencer woke me up to ask for help cleaning up a mess he made while "making tea."

Sleep / Wake Routine for 2023

I know I haven't posted with any regularity in several years. But I've been processing through writing quite a bit this week and thinking I might start again. It won't be about babies, my babies are tween / teen (and adult) now. For the things going on lately, I need to explain our current routine / sleep schedule.

Spencer, asleep in a hotel, November 2023
Road Trip to Amarillo with Mom

The Bare Naked Book

I recently saw a list of children's books that included ALL types of bodies. I immediately requested every single one of them from my local library!

Tonight's bedtime story list included The Bare Naked Book (specifically the newer edition) by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Melissa Cho. (The other way to make sure you have the right edition, look for Melissa Cho.)

(affiliate link)

This book is FANTASTIC! Let this be your warning: my son felt the need to SHOW me each body part as we read the book... including genitals and bum (which are also represented in the book). So... know your kid and audience.

That said, this book talks about all the parts of the body and how they can be different from person to person. The people in this book... so beautiful! It includes people of all sizes, people whose gender is not apparent, people with hearing aids, people missing body parts or using prosthetics, a person with vitiligo! It shows a nursing mother. And it celebrates bodies.

I love this book so much I think I am going to have to add it to our personal library! Look at it at your local library or order it for yourself!

Want to get Your Tubes Tied?

Want to get your tubes tied, regardless of age, marital status, or how many kids? Sourced from here, she has a page of 150 gynecologists willing to tie your tubes.

@pagingdrfran taking back what little power is left. let us help you while we still are allowed to #roevwade #tuballigation #childfreebychoice #gyn #obgyn ♬ Knowledge - Vin Music

Parenting Hit to Parenting Win

My daughter has been doing Kuk Sool Won™ for 8 months. In that time, she has tested twice. Both times she jumped up a full belt level. From white to yellow and then to blue. She has also competed in the World Championship and brought home two medals. Better yet, she has the skills to defend herself and it has really driven up her confidence and helped us focus on her health!

Kuk Sool Won™ Training

She has excitedly received a Student Textbook (quite the investment!) and we really enjoyed our travels together to the tournament. She is looking forward to her next tournament in a few months. So imagine my surprise when she told me she felt like she got herself into something and didn't know how to get out, that she wanted to "take a break" from Kuk Sool. I should have seen it coming, she's been getting belly or head aches right before class for weeks.

But I wasn't ready to just fold.

What's the Opposite of Germophobe?

The most convenient sickness to hit our entire family was right after we moved into a government subsidized, 3 bedroom, 2½ bath house. Literally within a week, we all had the flu. With 5 of us, I was very thankful for those 3 toilets! Prior to that move, we lived in a travel trailer and tried to only use the on site facilities for such "movements," rather than our own toilet (which required dumping about once per month).

Gee, I have no idea how Ronni got sick!

I've tried to keep my kids apart when they're sick, but... it just seems impossible. Who is going to turn away a pitiful sick child asking to be held and snuggled? Not that big brother!

Lots of random naps throughout the house as we all had the plague.

We all managed to rest a lot, lounging and napping all over the downstairs of the house, mostly. This certainly made it easier to keep an eye on everyone and provide sustenance. We had almost zero furniture at the time, so we just napped where we landed.

Tonsils, Adenoids & Turbinates, Oh my!

Sleep studies are a common screening done for kids with Down syndrome, especially if they snore. They can often have tiny mouths (and not so tiny tonsils). Spencer had his first Sleep Study when he was 3yo.

In May 2018, Spencer was snoring badly, so he went for a new Sleep Study. Through that he was diagnosed with Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. It was so bad that the Pulmonologist called me on Mother's Day! He was very concerned that I follow up ASAP. Our ENT (Ear Nose & Throat doctor) said that a Tonsillectomy (the usual treatment for this) was contraindicated because Spencer has a Bifid Uvula. That means his uvula was splitting into two. Think of a Y hanging upside down in the back of the throat. So... we went with CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy). That involved going for another sleep study.

First comes the Sleep Study. Then a month later...	another sleep study to determine the appropriate CPAP pressure.