Happy June!
The days have been filled with chores, lawn work, and several "activities"! Over Memorial Day Weekend our friends asked us to watch their two kids, (ages 3 and 10) so we spent the 4 day weekend as a family of 5...oh boy!! Jason and I really enjoyed it and so did Olena but by Monday night the two of us where laying on the couch dying of exhaustion. I needed a Holiday from the Holiday weekend :) We even survived taking them on outings. We had grocery shopping on Friday, chores and keeping kids busy on Saturday, mass and my cousins Holy Communion on Sunday, (which went marvelously, 2 toddlers and a 10 year old sat through the entire mass without a single problem, we were so proud of ourselves!!) then a Holiday bbq party on Monday.
This weekend we have a wedding, a graduation commencement, and a benefit fundraiser for our friend! For the rest of the month....3 graduation parties, 2 weddings, a friend is expecting their first baby **it's a boy!!**, Father's Day, and an engagement party! So please expect my advanced apologies if I don't get to post much this month.
I have also decided to share something personal with the rest of you. I was going to keep this private but after some consideration, I thought that it would be beneficial. Perhaps I can help someone else in the same situation?? maybe someone can help us?? and besides, you have all followed Olena's journey from the start and I think the support would be good for us a family.
This upcoming Friday we will be taking Olena to the Michigan Institute for Neurological Disorders (MIND Clinic) and she will be evaluated. As Olena gets older, there are certain things that give me some cause for concern. I know toddlers can be overbearing, stubborn and outrageous at times, but I just have a feeling that there is something that I am not fully understanding.
She is very emotional and is constantly upset. I expect her to be moody, all toddlers are - but for a 3 year old to be crying and unhappy for 90% of their day is not right!! She is only happy/content for about 30-45 minutes at a time, and it usually only happens once every couple of hours. It is emotional draining for me and it is really starting to wear on us as a family. Among this are a few other things that have been noticed, such as her senses seemed intensified more than "normal". She is very sensitive to sound, and scared about any loud noises..even things as simple as cars that drive by the house upset her. She is also very aggressive. Not in an angry way but when she touches something or someone it is very rough. She squeezes, and grips onto what she touches and it usually ends up hurting the person or pet. She is always reminded and knows she is suppose to be gentle but it is almost as if she cannot control the urge to do it. The list goes on, but the bottom line is that I just want to be sure that I do everything I can for her to grow up happy and healthy. It kills me to constantly be at battle with her whenever we are together. I start to wonder if she even likes me? seriously, as a mother you start feel like you are failing somewhere when your child isn't happy. Regardless of what the problem is, if there even is one...I need help understanding her, and I am hoping this will help. We do know that the biomother had a history of alcohol use and she did not deny drinking during pregnancy so of course Fetal Alcohol effect is a concern, as well as maybe an Attachment Disorder ?? I pray that time will tell.
I will keep you posted as best I can. If you have any questions/comments or advice, please email me directly verses posting a comment because it may be a few weeks before I get back on the blog! (candjwarchol@yahoo.com)
Please pray for us, as well as our good friend Jason C. who was diagnosed with and now fighting Leukemia. By his side is a great wife and beautiful 7 year old daughter. He just found out he has to return for more chemo, so the prayers are needed now, more than ever!
The days have been filled with chores, lawn work, and several "activities"! Over Memorial Day Weekend our friends asked us to watch their two kids, (ages 3 and 10) so we spent the 4 day weekend as a family of 5...oh boy!! Jason and I really enjoyed it and so did Olena but by Monday night the two of us where laying on the couch dying of exhaustion. I needed a Holiday from the Holiday weekend :) We even survived taking them on outings. We had grocery shopping on Friday, chores and keeping kids busy on Saturday, mass and my cousins Holy Communion on Sunday, (which went marvelously, 2 toddlers and a 10 year old sat through the entire mass without a single problem, we were so proud of ourselves!!) then a Holiday bbq party on Monday.
This weekend we have a wedding, a graduation commencement, and a benefit fundraiser for our friend! For the rest of the month....3 graduation parties, 2 weddings, a friend is expecting their first baby **it's a boy!!**, Father's Day, and an engagement party! So please expect my advanced apologies if I don't get to post much this month.
I have also decided to share something personal with the rest of you. I was going to keep this private but after some consideration, I thought that it would be beneficial. Perhaps I can help someone else in the same situation?? maybe someone can help us?? and besides, you have all followed Olena's journey from the start and I think the support would be good for us a family.
This upcoming Friday we will be taking Olena to the Michigan Institute for Neurological Disorders (MIND Clinic) and she will be evaluated. As Olena gets older, there are certain things that give me some cause for concern. I know toddlers can be overbearing, stubborn and outrageous at times, but I just have a feeling that there is something that I am not fully understanding.
She is very emotional and is constantly upset. I expect her to be moody, all toddlers are - but for a 3 year old to be crying and unhappy for 90% of their day is not right!! She is only happy/content for about 30-45 minutes at a time, and it usually only happens once every couple of hours. It is emotional draining for me and it is really starting to wear on us as a family. Among this are a few other things that have been noticed, such as her senses seemed intensified more than "normal". She is very sensitive to sound, and scared about any loud noises..even things as simple as cars that drive by the house upset her. She is also very aggressive. Not in an angry way but when she touches something or someone it is very rough. She squeezes, and grips onto what she touches and it usually ends up hurting the person or pet. She is always reminded and knows she is suppose to be gentle but it is almost as if she cannot control the urge to do it. The list goes on, but the bottom line is that I just want to be sure that I do everything I can for her to grow up happy and healthy. It kills me to constantly be at battle with her whenever we are together. I start to wonder if she even likes me? seriously, as a mother you start feel like you are failing somewhere when your child isn't happy. Regardless of what the problem is, if there even is one...I need help understanding her, and I am hoping this will help. We do know that the biomother had a history of alcohol use and she did not deny drinking during pregnancy so of course Fetal Alcohol effect is a concern, as well as maybe an Attachment Disorder ?? I pray that time will tell.
I will keep you posted as best I can. If you have any questions/comments or advice, please email me directly verses posting a comment because it may be a few weeks before I get back on the blog! (candjwarchol@yahoo.com)
Please pray for us, as well as our good friend Jason C. who was diagnosed with and now fighting Leukemia. By his side is a great wife and beautiful 7 year old daughter. He just found out he has to return for more chemo, so the prayers are needed now, more than ever!
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