Back Online

Finally, we have moved into our new house! It's not finished, but we have a working kitchen, some living space and a fully functioning bathroom. At last, we finally out of my mother-in-law's house and in our own. I never thought I would survive living with her. It was constant nagging from morning until night. It's amazing how bad someone can make you feel, and all you are trying to do is keep out of their way. At least we are in our own home now. Owen had to go on antibiotics because his cold would not clear up, and why should it, when they kept their house so cold. The windows leaked cold air everywhere, and they would turn the heat up and open the windows. I know it's not the coldest part of the country, but when it's 40 degrees at night, that is still pretty cold to have the windows open. I thought for sure I was going to get sick.

The new house we are in is so airtight that no cold leaks anywhere. We set the thermometer and that is what it stays at. I am still trying to sort through things, but at least we have much more space to put things. And, finally, we have our internet service running. At least now I can keep in contact with the world.

I went to Owen's school the other day to make a Christmas stocking for him, sort of an informal parent-teacher morning. I was talking with the teachers and they were telling me that they are so proud of Owen and how far he has come. They really see a lot of progress with him. One of his teachers told me that having seen the progress Owen has made, makes her feel so good, and that "kids like Owen are the reason I teach." It made me feel so good to hear that. Both of them said that they believe Owen is very high functioning, and understands everything that is going on. It's just that he doesn't talk as much as the other kids. I wonder if my child will ever reach the "why" stage like so many other kids his age have. He never questions anything, never asks why. Is it that he doesn't need to know? Is it that in some weird way he is okay with the way things are and doesn't need to ask why?

It's funny. I see other kids his age and how much more verbal they are, and how much more aware they are of their environment (throwing tantrums because they want everything they see, telling their parents what they want Santa to bring, etc.) but I see in Owen a calmness, as if material things don't matter. He never asks for things when we go to the store. He doesn't scream and cry if I don't buy him something he sees. I wonder why that is. Of course, my MIL says "well, it must be a Down Syndrome thing." Excuse me? Just because he's not programmed to want every toy and gadget he sees, and scream and cry for chips and ice cream( well, okay, he will scream for chips, but that's about it). I just want to scream at her that maybe it's because we haven't taught him that it's okay to have every little toy and thing just because everyone else has it. Maybe it is a Down syndrome thing, but who cares? My child is much better off for it, then.

I will try to post more often, now that I am back online and settling into my new home. Hopefully, we will be able to get a Christmas tree up, but without much furniture, it will look a little funny...