Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Fireworks of all sorts

Let's see here.  Whasa goin' on....Well, I've got a little time this morning while Ratchet is at V.B.S.(vacation bible school, to those of you outside the Bible Belt, wink).  And of course Dandy is slaving away at school,  so I thought I would try post a little something.  

I guess I could tell you about my weekend.  Wait, maybe I shouldn't, it didn't go all that well. 

 We did have a good time celebrating the third of July with our family in town.  Ratchet and Dandy got to hold sparklers (while clothed in their mandatory flame retardant one-piece suits), and watch  from across the yard, as their uncle Daryl lit the larger rocket-shaped firecrackers for a slightly more dangerous feeling show. 

 Of course, it's never really fun unless you get the youngest of the children blubbering in tears at some point during the exhibition.  We managed to frighten my tougher than nails two-year old nephew a couple of times.  And, just when I thought noise sensitive Dandy was faring well, he got caught off guard by a loud boom and crumbled into his first of many sobbing moments that became a recurring theme for the next several days.

Like I said, it wasn't a very good weekend.  But I do have a couple of pictures of our group of friends before watching fireworks at the airport on the fourth.  I was far too busy OOHing and AAHing by the time the show started to get pictures of the actual reason we were there.  
(Ratchet, Dandy, Beck's Boy, and Dandy)

It is funny to me how small townish (red neckish) we look out in the middle of a giant field surrounded by trucks.  But it was fun chatting with my gf's and letting the kids run around in the grass together.  There were some men there as well but they never seemed to be where the camera was snapping.  


(Trish, Becky, Beck's girl, Me, Beck's Boy, and Beck again)

Dandy was having such a good night after an extremely iffy day so I had to get lots of pictures of him in this pleasant state.  The resourceful young tike made a house to 
live in while we were there waiting for the real action to begin.
 
This evening there was NO crying over the fireworks (from our group anyway) so that actually went without a hitch.

Ah, but the next day....Dandy was full of explosive behavior himself.  I could practically smell the gun powder rising from his little blonde head.  We were all vicariously distraught as he continued to explode in colors around us.  Breakfast brought tears.  Puzzles and toys brought tears.   Time out brought head slapping foot stomping tears.  You get the picture. 

This was clearly the unfun portion of the weekend.  Jamey and I had different versions of concern.  Mine apparrantly took the form of a nasty visages and angry tones as Dandy once declared me to be "mean", looking at me sideways while asking his Daddy to button his pants. 

Jamey just got quieter and more down as the crying and vigorous gnashing went on.  
Then just when I thought our youngest had taken a huge turn for the worst on his summer maturing process, J realized his little head was warm.  Then I remembered noting the same thing the day before. " THAT'S IT!  BY JOVE HE'S SICKLY!"  We concluded at once. 

Normally one is not relieved upon discovering their child is ill.  But this was only a cold type thing with a mild fever. And that beats a mental condition hands down in a side by side comparison any day!  

Our little guy has enough on his plate without new unknown behaviors popping up on us out of the blue, so YEAH to the common cold...or hayfever-whatever-YEAH!  He never says he feels bad when he's sick, he just cranks up the attitude and the upset until we, the parents, can take no more!  You'd think we'd remember this, but so far it's been a surprise each time. [Wah-wah, YOU LOSE!  The video game in our heads is rudely sounding off...again]. 

But these things shall pass.  We will not be defeated. And fortunately for me, I've got Nice 'n Easy for those days that tend to whiten my hair before it's time. 
[Cheering sounds. I gave that round the one two punch now didn't I?]

Sigh...It's always nice(and easy, ba da bom) to pretend all troubles can be solved by tossing a bottle of color at your head.   Superficiality is bliss;  Ignorance is so last year.


12 comments:

Tally said...

Now that you mention it, that was my most redneck 4th to date. Fun times!

Hope little Dandy is feeling better now! :)

And for the record I've seen you in action, and you're NOT mean.

dive said...

I hope Dandy gets better soon, Shan. What a bummer for him (and you) on a holiday weekend.
But it looks like you had a great time anyway.
I love Beck's Boy's expression on that fourth photo. Brilliant!
And the last photo simply cracked me up! The "Doctor Evil" finger is just too funny! Hee hee.

MmeBenaut said...

Nice n Easy huh? So that's your secret? I'm using Wella Soft Colour at the moment. I mix 2 or 3 colours together to get just the right tinge of reddishness in my mousey blonde hair. I have some grey which shows through but I quite like the effect.
Dandy. I love the photos of your boys and Dandy in his little house. Poor little tike indeed, feeling poorly without communicating it apart from sobs. Without being too intrusive, have I missed something? Is Dandy autistic? I have a three year old niece who has a mild form of autism and I know what a challenge that is for my sister.
Anyway Shan dear, there will be many more weekends that are better than the last and you are such an incredibly cheerful soul, I can't think of anyone better than you to cope. I love the photo of you with your gf and kids. Just lovely, sweetheart.

Shan said...

I can for sure burn a hole in the wall when the daggers fly out of my eyes though Trishy, Bahha.

Dive, I'm glad you noticed the finger reference. It was funny to me that I already had that photo mid-color in my reserves. You just never no when you're going to need these things... I thought if nothing else, at my funeral.

Mme, You are so sweet to me, I eat it up!! :D
Well, Dandy has a mixed bag of issues. Lately I've been noticing more autistic tendencies but he never tests as such because he is very interactive with others. I know there are other forms of autism and I think he definitely could have the kind that keeps him from expressing himself properly.

He is formerly diagnosed with Mixed Developmental Disorder which is just as specific as it sounds. He is about a year delayed in many areas but has come miles from the toddler we first met. He's had surgeries on both eyes and ears to get them working properly and gets physical therapy for his right side that gives him trouble due to an "cerebral palsey incedent" suffered in the womb. There was also a lot of alcohol in the womb as well. He has lots of frustration performing regular tasks from all of this business. He has the info he needs in his head but he doesn't have the patience to wait for it. The boy could read today if he believed in himself. He's quite a combo of gifts and challenges-which does always ring the autistic bell in my head. It's confusing for sure. He was our first foster baby. I fell in love with his little sleeping face at first site. :)

Shan said...

Please ignore my word use issues. I misproofed again.

sarah cool said...

"Of course, it's never really fun unless you get the youngest of the children blubbering in tears at some point during the exhibition."

HahahahahahahHAHAHAHA.... this is so true. Poor kiddies!!

(Yet, kinda funny.)

dean r said...

cute! new picture. I'm going to add that little tykes name to my prayer list from now on, i want him and you guys covered in prayers as you continue to raise the fam. I'm glad you had a great 4th. you all look great and sounds like tons of fun.
have a good day. miss you all.
Dean R

Scout said...

Kids, sheesh! I'm it's just a cold. You can treat those, and they go away. It all sounds like fun even with the strife.

Jenna Jean said...

Shannon, my boy is going through the same exact thing these last few days. He has been saying he is sick and acting like a total crab! I hope it passes quickly!

Thanks for the invite on the 4th but we were with family all day and late into the night!

Aaron and Sara said...

Cute pictures of my sis and the family and your family too! Aaah, the good ol fourth. We spent it at "mafic land". It was very magical.

Wendy said...

You totally crack me up!!
"THAT'S IT! BY JOVE HE'S SICKLY!"
We do the same thing! Our toddler acts like a heathen and we're shocked! Then he starts throwing up and we're slapping our noggins, duh!

..."It's always nice(and easy, ba da bom)" I'm also coloring my hair, Tuesday. It DOES solve all of our problems, girl. It does.

MmeBenaut said...

Shan, I can understand you falling in love with his little sleeping face. I actually read your answer today with my sister (mother of the three year old). She said that some of what you describe of Dandy's behaviour definitely sounds like autism. There is a huge spectrum within the disorder but there are also wonderful developments in how it can be treated to.
Thank you so much for such a detailed answer sweetheart.