I Love My Children

I just want you all to know, I love my children. I do love them, so much…

One of my favorite things to hear out of the mouths of my children is, “Oh, Mom!” There is just something about their tone and half-smile, with the annoyed look in their eyes, that just gets me right in the heart, with joy! I beat them at their own game, usually a game of wits, and they can’t deal. But, they continue to try. Ha!

Now, this is a form of a “Mother’s Day” post, as I said I would provide, but I wanted it to be about the reason I celebrate this day.

I love my children…

Levi, my 10-year-old son, has some of the most hilarious one-liners I have ever heard! We recently changed primary care physicians, and our new doctor loves to tell jokes as well. In the 2 months that we have seen him, Levi has sprained his finger, had an allergy attack, and tried to go a third time for another reason, and was sad to learn it wasn’t bad enough to see the doctor. I told him it would be a bad idea to break a bone, because that would land him in the ER where he wouldn’t see HIS doctor, but an ER doctor instead. So, he looks at me, without missing a beat and says, “I don’t feel so good. I think I have a fever *cough, cough*.” Really, son? Really?! (sigh) I don’t call him my “carbon copy” for nothing.

I do love my children…

My 12-year-old, Titus, is 5ft6.5in. He has RED hair, and delightful freckles all over his face. His smile is so sweet. Do not be fooled by this (not so) little sweetheart, though, because he has a trickster side that will come out of nowhere and catch you off guard. His usual victims are his brothers, after which they will come running to me playing the unfortunate victim. Then, when I go see what was up, Titus will look at me and say, “Oh, I just did that, so you would come outside to see what I made.” And proceed to show me some creation of his, made from scraps of something else he tore apart. I’m just thankful he hasn’t tried breaking down my walls when I’m not looking, to create a droid or some other robotic thing he enjoys.

Again, I love my children…

Micah, my youngest, is 7 years old. I call him my animal. He can climb anything! He does this thing, he calls a swan dive… and yes, he does it well! He gets a running start, jumps up, and soars forward until he face-plants into the dirt below. Arms stretched out, over his head, he looks like a curly-headed Superman flying 2ft off the ground until he lands with a thud, rolls over, and runs back the other direction to do it again. This is a daily event. What shocks me the most is, of my three sons, he is the only one I have not gone to the ER with for an INJURY yet! Oh, I know the day is coming, though. I have prepared myself emotionally, and mentally, for the day to arrive.

Oh, how I love my children…

Every day is such a joy, and a functional disaster, in my house. Between the break-dancing (Levi) Human Crash Dummy (Micah) and the genius of all things electronic and construction (Titus), we have unending adventures. No, really… like we can’t even move on to the next chapter of an adventure. It MUST stay on this on! Ha, ha!

From the “Bad Dad” jokes, to the pranks, the knock-knock jokes that make NO sense, my three musketeers keep my brain in constant working order. Speaking of the knock-knock jokes, Micah told one the other day that I couldn’t help but laugh at. Let’s see if I can get it like he did…

Micah: Hey mom. Knock, knock.

Me: (kind of distracted) Uhm, who’s there?

Micah: SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS!

And… that was it. Now, if anyone knows my child, they can read this in his dramatic tone of voice. He kind of sounds like the dude announcing the fighters in the ring on a fight night. When he finished on that note, I sat there for a second, silently, and I could feel the physical signs of uncontrollable laughter starting to work its way from my feet to my mouth. He just KNEW he told a good one, and the look on his face, through is little coke-bottle glasses, the pure joy and humor in his eyes, matching the cheeky grin on his face as he looked at me expectantly, I couldn’t stand it. I laughed until it hurt. Not to make him feel better about a half-done joke, but because the whole thing was PRICELESS! It couldn’t have been a better told joke by either of his brothers.

These three are the reasons I celebrate as a mother on Mother’s Day. They have made me what I am, in so many ways. I look at them and see a little of me in each of them every day. I see the softer, sensitive side of myself in Titus. His genuine concern for others touches my heart. I see the quirky, humorous side of me in Levi, with the jokes, silly humor, and witty come-backs. I see my wild side in Micah; the pure enjoyment of life, and the fun that can be found around every corner. I just wish he had a little more caution than he does. I fear for my health with that one…

These three are as different as night, day, and some other universe as well! It’s just me and them. They do not have a male influence in their lives, only me. We battle the day, and enjoy the world, together. And without them, I would be… lost.

I do… love my children. <3                            

Just Another ADHD Day

This week, in the lives of myself and my exceptional children, we didn’t do much until near the weekend.

Monday was torturous, as usual, and as the week went on everyone settled into their routine with ease (as easy as we do anyway). But it is Friday that I want to share about today.

Friday: I had to take my youngest, who is 7 and has ADHD, to the orthodontist to have a couple of teeth worked on. This would be his first time having the Nitrous gas used on him for any dental work. Before we found this group, he was TERRIFIED of the dentist, because of an issue he had with a previous orthodontist who traumatized him with a tooth extraction situation. I was nervous. He was hyper. My mother went with us for “momma support” and I was so grateful!

We waited for over 30 minutes for them to begin the procedure, and he was getting restless. My anxiety was climbing. Finally, the Dr. came in and they began. He did AMAZING! Tried to move his hands and feet a couple of times, but he never cried, squirmed, or did anything to disrupt their actual progress. They praised him for his awesome handling of the event, and we were finally free!

We went to Steak ‘N’ Shake for lunch, because the poor, little guy wanted a milkshake after the event, and we thought we would give it a try. Now, his smile was slightly loose on the right, and his words had a slight slur to them. Mom and I wondered if he would be able to actually succeed consuming his milkshake. So, I suggested we eat inside, and let his mouth come back to life a bit before ordering the delectable delight for the munchkin.

Success! Well, sort of. He had a couple of spills but having requested the M&M milkshake he was bound to have some clogs in the straw.

Now, all this being said… my son has ADHD. He is hyper. He is impulsive. I have had to learn to deal with sudden outbursts of noise, wiggly arms and legs, climbing, rolling, fidgeting, and muttering from his little self his entire life. Only recently have we been able to get a solid diagnosis for him, and medication when necessary (i.e. school). For this day he did not have the medication, and it was showing. He wasn’t rude. He wasn’t obnoxious. He was Micah. And, he was getting looks. We all three were.

Did it bother me? Yes.

I understand that my child is not going to sit still for 45 minutes in a single place. I understand that my child has a volume control issue now and then, that even he can’t explain just yet. I understand that other people aren’t going to get it, with their quiet, well behaved, smiling children sitting next to them, joining in the observation of my wiggly, restless, but cheerfully hyper son. But it doesn’t take away the struggle that I, as a mother, deal with internally when it does happen.

Mothers of ADHD children are exceptional! We are blessed, and we are strong women! For us to be the mothers of such amazing children is a privilege. We have been given a gift. A strong child, and a strength in ourselves that, at many times, even we do not comprehend! I say “mothers” because, as women, we are emotional creatures by nature. The struggle to suppress emotions is real!

I find myself fighting the urge to be rude to the people who are making faces in my direction when I am in public with my kids. I fight the urge to walk up to them and give them a lecture on exceptional children and their struggles. But, as a mom of exceptional children, I also understand that people aren’t going to “get it” by mere words and defense of our children. Emotions are already high, on both ends, when it comes to ADHD and Autistic children in public places. I wouldn’t make it any better, or educate anyone, by stepping up with my emotions high and confronting someone.

I tip my hat to any parent of exceptional children, single or married, who fights the public battles daily. I am doing the best that I can. My boys are healthy, happy, and loved. They are amazing, and my little heroes. I couldn’t ask for a better blessing from above any day, than the three musketeers who call me “Mom.” And, I will always support them, encourage them, and teach them that honesty, integrity, and love will take them farther than anything in life. Regardless of what anyone else thinks, says, or does, if they remain true to themselves first, and others, they will do things in life that we never imagined in their youth.

We will all get looks and words charged in our direction, all our lives. Both encouraging and discouraging. It affects us, yes. But, what matters most is what we see in, and say to, ourselves. My son is ADHD. I am his mother. We both have a lot of heart, and a lot of strength. All three of my sons are strong. My hope for my sons is that their strength will be used for good, always.