Holiday Update!

We have had a good start to our week. I took my niece and Elijah to see Night at the Museum 3. It was very cute and funny. The kids enjoyed it and then we came back to our house. The kids played the WiiU and we hung out for a while. I did some work for school so I can start off fresh next week! We don't have too much going on the next few days. Elijah and I will go to the library tomorrow so he can hang and play in the Teen Room. We will do a bit more baking on Wednesday! I am hoping to enjoy the rest of the week and get prepared to go back to work. Elijah goes back to school on Monday and I am hoping he can get back into the routine!

My Last Blog Post

I wrote yesterday's post being blunt honest. Sometimes I think others need to know how hard it can be for a parent of a child with Tourette Syndrome. Tourette Syndrome is not just about the tics. It is about the other co-morbid disorders that go along with it. Elijah's OCD and ADHD are harder to deal with than just the tics of TS. I just wanted to show another side of Tourette Syndrome, to maybe help others understand and lend a helping hand if you know a family with a child with this disorder.

Sometimes It Is Just a Beat Down

Living with a teenager who has Tourette Syndrome, OCD and ADHD can be a huge challenge at times. Elijah is SO excited about Christmas, that he becomes obsessed with opening presents, and this is demonstrated with anger, anxiety, and with annoying others. I don't think HE means to annoy others, but he will argue and argue thinking it will get his way.

Christmas Eve morning was just NO fun. He woke up thinking he would get to open presents and I explained that we would open a few in the evening and the rest the next day. The rest of the morning is spent with him in a foul mood and being non-compliant. He just keeps mouthing and going on and on. I finally sent him to his room where he then had his little rage fit, which I ignored. Some time later, I was finally able to talk to him, but my blood pressure and my anxiety were on high alert, because Christmas Eve should not have to be a battle. The rest of the day went fine and Christmas morning went pretty well. We arrived at my dad's house to visit and then when present opening started, Elijah started with his mouthing. He wanted his present NOW and when he got cash he wasn't happy. He wanted a present. Once again, he and I had to go and have a LITTLE CHAT.

I had to send Elijah to his room twice today while his dad was here with his wife and the boy's new little brother (not so new, he is 10 months old). Elijah was telling me NO and just acting up. I wish I knew how his brain worked. I wish I knew a better way to handle him. It is like someone just flips a switch and he is another kid. I try to understand it, but after so many times of arguing with someone I just can't take it and have to just knuckle down and be a really MEAN mom and just get him to his room.

Things will get back to normal once he goes back to school. He needs the routine of school. He constantly wants his iPad, Nintendo DS or the WiiU when he is home and I limit the amount of time he has. It is usually when I am informing him that his time is up that he is his worst. He also thinks just telling me NO will change my mind about what I have asked him to do....yea whatever. I love my son, but some days are just a beat down with him.

Christmas Break is Finally Here

Christmas break is finally here. Jacob arrived home on Dec. 12th and it has been good to have him home. He went out to help my mom at her house today! Elijah's last few weeks at school were uneventful, which is a good thing. It has been crazy at work. One of the other deaf ed. teachers broke her arm and a new student moved into our area. Staff had to be shifted, but we all work well together and we made it to TODAY! We were all so ready for today to get here and my students were also ready.

I have been busy making pralines and snowball cookies. I made cookies with my students at school and we decorated them too. It was a lot of fun and a good learning experience for them! I gave away a lot of goodie bags and had fun doing it. I have a few more Christmas gifts to get, but not too much. I have MORE baking to do! I have pralines and snowball cookies to make for family and sugar cookies to make with Elijah, my niece and my nephew!

I will be working on school stuff here and there to get ahead for when we go back. Grad school starts back on January 14th and life will get busy again! I want to enjoy the next two weeks. Jacob and I have some yard work to do and I am going to have him help me steam clean the carpets. I need his strength! My poor shoulder just can't take it!

I hope you all have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!