We are back home from my parents house. I'm exhausted, I haven't gotten much sleep but everything in general is just exhausting me. I was trying not to cry and that was exhausting trying NOT to cry. Lol seems silly, but i just didn't want the weekend to be all about crying. I wanted to spend some good quality time with my dad and family. My one brother and his wife, my mom, and dh and i had a conversation one night after dad had gone to bed. It was one of the only crying times all weekend for all of us. My dad isn't showing much emotions. He said he was fatigued. He was very quiet at times and seemed tired. Yesterday morning he was watching Megan playing. Some were still sleeping, some of us were in the kitchen. It was the first time I saw dad emotional, as he watched Megan. I started crying seeing him watch her. I didn't want him to see me crying and I went into the bathroom. Later dh said I should let him see me cry and maybe then he would be more inclined to cry as well. Or talk about things.
Dh and I were trying to do what we could to help while also taking care of the girls. Megan was very overstimulated all weekend. She wasn't having enough down time and as a result she was very hard to deal with. She was whiny and crabby and not listening at all. There were a lot of people around and both girls didn't like that. Jordan had major stranger anxiety when there were a room full of people and Megan flat out said " I don't like people, I don't want to say hi, I don't want to talk to them, etc, etc). We didn't make her talk to anyone and generally tried to keep people away from her, people wanted to approach the girls immediately and wanted to touch them and get in their space. We kept trying to help them keep their distance. After people had been there for over an hour then she started talking and playing with people. It kept happening though as new people would come and go throughout our visit.
We had a photographer come to the house sat and it was chaos while she was setting up. It bothered Megan and by the time came for taking pics she was crying and didn't want her pic taken. I wasn't surprised at all given the situation.
My brother and his gf both at separate times had questioned something about how we parent or how Megan is. My brother was shocked Megan didn't know Disney characters in a book that my mom had. ( lion king, dumbo, etc). He thought she would need to be doing things like this before she gets into school... As how is she going to handle school if she can't even watch disney movies. I explained how she reacts to scary or sad shows and he didn't understand at all. ( they don't have kids) Other times he and his gf were commenting on other things as well. Megan would get upset and scared if people made it sound like someone was going to get her or if someone was going to take her cookies, toys, etc. One time she was singing a song about a crocodile and snapping her hands, later a relative was leaving and saying don't let that crocodile get you and snapped her hands. Megan got very upset about the crocodile getting her. My brothers gf couldn't believe her reaction and said well she was singing about the same crocodile. I said it's not the same thing to her. It was little things about her eating, being overstimulated. One time Megan was crying over too many people and so was Jordan. I was taking them both out of the room into my parents bedroom. My brothers gf said no let's just take them over here to this part of the room and Megan can color with us. I said no, I'm taking them out for a bit first. She needs a break. She was trying to tell me no.
I didn't give in and she finally followed me to the bedroom. Where both of the girls immediately calmed down.
I'm spending my week getting ready to go visit again. Making food, Getting unpacked and repack. Depending on dh's week either I am going down with the girls and then coming back before the weekend, or waiting til closer to the weekend and dh take a day or 2 off and all of us going for another long weekend.
I don't know if dad is doing chemo or not. He was going to talk to my brothers and I when we were all together my mom said. But we made sure we were all together and dad didn't say anything.
For clothes - Megan doesn't like tags if she is overstimulated. Otherwise she is ok with them. She is most particular about pajamas. She wants to be comfy and not restricted but not baggy, not too binding. Not too hot, but if not warm enough her legs get cold and it wakes her up. She won't wear tights and doesn't like socks that are too big or too small. They have to fit just right. She won't sleep without socks on. She used to not like new shoes but now loves shoes. She will wear pants or shorts, long sleeve, short, but won't wear 3/4 length. To her they seem like they aren't long enough And she gets mad and trying to pull them down. She doesn't like pushing her sleeves up and if we have her do it to wash her hands she pulls them back down immediately. Being naked overstimulates her. She doesn't like bows or lace or anything frilly on dresses. She likes simple clothes that are comfortable. She will wear jeans but usually prefers cotton pants or leggings. If a shirt has buttons she has to have all of them buttoned. Even a polo type shirt that most would leave the top button unbuttoned, she cannot wear it if all the buttons aren't buttoned.
Megan fell asleep for 20 minutes each way while traveling. Jordan didn't sleep in the car at all. Overall both slept ok while we were there though which was helpful.
Or if a child came onto the equipment she was on she shouted to get off and that she wanted to go home - hoping it is a phase that wont last long but you never know hahaha!
!
And glad to hear Tommy is feeling a little better.
Good to hear she handled it well and is on par with her peers.
It such hard work.
I'm glad she had a lovely day.
