As our children develop, sometimes we recognize that certain aspects of their individuality can be classified into a diagnosis which does not change who they are but gives us fresh approaches to parenting and teaching. We recently realized that one of our children has Pathological Demand Avoidance. You can google it if you want the scientific details, but said child's teacher found a great summary from a book by a writer that has PDA (Calendar Girl by Sally Cat).
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 595 which was held on November 16, 2023:
1) US dossier from May 2016 referred a male child aged 1 year and 11 months with features in health status
2) Italian dossier from July 2017 referred a female child aged 8 years and 9 months with features in health status
3) Canadian dossier from December 2022 referred a female child aged 10 years and 7 months with features in health status and a family history
4) US dossier from November 2023 referred an identified waiting child
5) US dossier from November 2023 referred an identified waiting child
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 596 which was held on November 23, 2023:
1) Canadian dossier from September 2015 referred a male child aged 1 year and 8 months with feature sin health status
2) Dutch dossier from September 2021 referred a female child aged 2 years and 9 months with features in health status and a family history
3) Italian dossier from February 2022 referred a male child aged 11 years and 6 months with features in health status
4) US dossier from October 2022 referred a male child aged 3 years and 8 months with features in health status and a family history
5) US dossier from November 2023 referred a brother and sister aged 8 years and 4 months and 7 years and 2 months with features in health status
6) US dossier from November 2023 referred an identified waiting child
7) US dossier from November 2023 referred an identified waiting child
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 597 which was held on December 5, 2023:
1) French dossier from October 2020 referred a male child aged 2 years with features in health status
2) Italian dossier from February 2022 referred a male child aged 11 years and 11 months
3) Italian dossier from January 2023 referred sisters aged 5 years and 2 months and 8 years and 6 months with features in health status and a family history
4) Us dossier from March 2023 referred a female child aged 1 year and 8 months with features in health status
5) Italian dossier from April 2023 referred a sisters aged 10 years and 2 months and 9 years and 2 months with feature sin health status
6) US dossier referred an identified waiting child
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 598 which was held on December 20, 2023:
1) Spanish dossier from July 2013 referred a male child aged 10 years
2) Italian dossier from September 2022 referred four siblings (three girls, one boy) aged 5 years and 9 months, 8 years and 11 months, 4 years and 6 months, 6 years and 9 months
3) Canadian dossier from June 2023 referred a brother and sister aged 6 years and 5 months and 5 years and 4 months with features in health status
4) US dossier from December 2023 referred an identified waiting child
5) US dossier from December 2023 referred sisters aged 11 years and 1 month and 13 years and 2 months
6) US dossier from December 2023 referred an identified waiting child
Growing up in Germany, I remember from my childhood the occasional Richtfest which is a celebration that takes place when the outer shell of a new structure has been erected. Traditionally, this involves a gathering with food and drink that includes both those who commissioned the building and their family/friends and those who actually built the structure. A crown of greenery, flowers and ribbons is raised into the rafters as well as a visual representation of gratitude and joy.
With the completion of our home addition framing on Friday, today we had our own abbreviated version of a Richtfest. I made the crown and we hung it and we left breakfast treats for our work crew that was returning to finish up another aspect of the project today. Then the five of us went into our new addition to write our wishes for the space onto the walls. Middle Kiddo carried out a very liberal interpretation of Hillebille which traditionally is a rhythmic beating of hammers and axes by the craftsmen to drive out any negative energies and bad spirits from the new space.
It'll be a while, but we're so excited for the things to come.
When you have neurodivergent kids, there are some things that professionals will tell you your children will never do and others you are realistic about yourself in terms of your child's perceived ability to accomplish them or not. And there are times where you accept it and make your peace with it and other times when you push and work against the predictions.
Middle Kiddo has strong communication about things that are important to him, but for years I have told people not to expect him to make small talk. My usual example in such discussions has been, "He's never going to talk about the weather."
Well, last week Middle Kiddo was on a nature walk with his therapist and she mentioned the next day's forecasted snow. And sure enough, Middle Kiddo responded (and I am paraphrasing here), "I'm over the snow and cloudy days and ready for blue skies and heat."
So, it looks like I was wrong and I'm glad for it. It's been a good reminder to never say never.
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 590 which was held on September 13, 2023:
1) Spanish dossier from September 2016 referred a male child aged 1 year and 6 months with features in health status
2) Italian dossier from July 2022 referred two sisters aged 4 years and 7 months & 7 years and 4 months with features in health status
3) US dossier from August 2023 referred a male child aged 4 years and 3 months with features in health status
4) US dossier from September 2023 referred an identified waiting child
5) US dossier from September 2023 referred an identified waiting child
6) US dossier from September 2023 referred an identified waiting child
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 591 which was held on September 28, 2023:
1) Spanish dossier from May 2015 referred a female child aged 2 years and 5 months with features in health status
2) US dossier from April 2019 referred twins, male and female, aged 1 year and 6 months with features in health status
3) US dossier from December 2020 referred three sisters (twins and single child) aged 2 years and 11 months & 3 years and 10 months with features in health status and a family history
4) US dossier from August 2023 referred a male child aged 1 year and 10 months with features in health status
5) US dossier from September 2023 referred an identified waiting child
6) US dossier from September 2023 referred an identified waiting child
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 592 which was held on October 5, 2023:
1) Italian dossier from January 2015 referred a female child aged 10 years and 6 months with features in health status and a family history
2) Italian dossier from March 2016 referred a female child aged 8 years and 8 months with features in health status
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 593 which was held on October 19, 2023:
1) Italian dossier from April 2014 referred a male child aged 4 years and 9 months with features in health status
2) Italian dossier from February 2016 referred a female child, age not disclosed, with features in health status
3) US dossier from July 2022 referred a male child aged 3 years and 3 moths with features in health status and a family history
4) Canadian dossier from December 2022 referred a female child aged 1 year and 4 months with features in health status
5) Italian dossier from February 2023 referred sisters aged 6 years and 10 months & 8 years and 10 months with features in health status
6) US dossier from September 2023 referred three identified waiting children
7) US dossier from October 2023 referred an identified waiting child
The following referrals were issued in IAC session 594 which was held on October 26, 2023:
1) Cyprus dossier from January 2016 referred a male child aged 7 years and 2 months, healthy
2) Italian dossier from April 2016 referred a female child aged 1 year and 3 months, healthy
3) French dossier from March 2021 referred a male child aged 7 years and 4 months with features in health status
4) US dossier from February 2023 referred a female child aged 6 years and 1 month with features in health status
5) US dossier from July 2023 referred a male child aged 1 year and 11 months with features in health status and a family history
6) US dossier from October 2023 referred an identified waiting child
7) Italian dossier from October 2023 referred three identified waiting children
Something I've always wanted to try is bake with sourdough so for Christmas 2022, I got a dry starter and on January 1, 2023, I began to activate it. Thus started a Bubba Blue like journey to all things sourdough.
Here are some of my creations.
As Bubba Blue says in the movie, "That's about it."
We embarked on our longest road trip yet - 2509 miles - and it was a success.
Departing home early on October 20, we arrived that afternoon in Lancaster County, PA to spend a couple of days with our friends for our annual autumn getaway. As always those too short hours included lots of good talks, delicious food, campfires, and the search for the perfect pumpkins. This year we also had basketball, a fall hike, and Amish icecream.
On October 23, we hopped back into the van and made our way toward Boston. As I think I have mentioned before, Craig and I have a goal of visiting all 50 states and while we have been able to check some Northeastern states off our list, this was our chance to knock off the rest and let the kids expand their own lists.
On the way to Boston we stopped in Connecticut to pick apples (in order for a state to count we have to do something in that state - just driving through is not enough). Craig and I had been to Connecticut a long time ago when I was a summer camp counselor at Yale University, but we figured why not make a quick excursion to let Connecticut count for the kids on this trip, too.
On Monday evening, we reached our trip's VRBO home base where we met our friends from Germany whom we had not seen in six years. They traveled from Berlin just to be with us.
October 24: Kittery Point, Maine (Fort McClary); lunch at River House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire where the epic cat drawing contest went down in history; and Salem, Massachusetts
October 25: Freedom Trail in Boston
October 26: Emily Dickinson House in Amherst, Massachusetts and lunch/shopping in Vermont
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October 27: Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower and Newport, Rhode Island
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The two days it took driving back home after all of these great adventures were pretty rough, but it was worth it for many reasons. We were really proud of how the kids held up through so much daily activity and had a wonderful time re-connecting with our friends.
Thirty-five states down, fifteen to go.
