SO much to be THANKFUL for this year!

Hello Villagers!

Welcome to our NEW blog!  Goodbye to "My Two Amazing Boys", hello..."Watson Party of SIX"!

Here is a long overdue UPDATE! 

What an amazing summer #watsonpartyofsix had!  We went everywhere that we wanted to go.  Which was an absolute blessing for "The Little's" to feel more at home in their new environment.  We started out with a week in Northern Maine visiting The Houlton Fair, Mardens, Houlton Dairy, and Portage Lake.  With Smores on the campfire every night, it was just what we needed to celebrate the end of a long school year.  We toured Boston and even took the entire family to a Redsox Game.  

We had weekly visits to Davis Farmland, the Beach and took the kids to the ocean every chance we got.  We taught the littles how to swim, kayaked at Mirror Lake and went to various amusement parks all over New England.  It was an absolute treat!

Spencer

Spencer started Sixth Grade this year at AMSA (American Math and Science Academy) Charter School in Marlborough.  He officially hates us as we took him away from all of his friends in our hometown.  I am happy to report that he is finally adjusting well and he is starting to actually enjoy going to school now.  (And well…he loves having a cell phone as well!)  He has taken a break from sports in the interim and we signed him up for some fun afternoon clubs, which has helped with some adjustment.  He is really looking forward to starting basketball and snowboarding this winter.

The Little's

I am happy to report that BOTH Kayla and Anthony have graduated from trauma therapy to regular therapists.  They were both Baptized recently and had quite the shindig. 

UPDATE on their Parents:  Mom is still MIA, she hasn't seen or spoken to either one of them since before last Christmas.  She then was MIA for our court date in January.  She did contact me several days after the date that she was suppose to appear in court.  She was suppose to provide me with a consistant schedule to see the children, and has failed to do so…SO...I am happy to report that the judge has granted Gary and I FULL GUARDIANSHIP, which entails us to be approvers of ANY and ALL visits at this time.  Their father Dave, contested our guardianship in court in January and after mediation and discussion with our DCF clinician, Gary and I promised (verbally) to allow him back into their lives.  (In return, Dave, signed over his FULL LEGAL guardianship over to Gary and I.)  They have been building their relationship with him, which has been wonderful to be witness of.  He has gone to Anthony's basketball games, and Kayla's dance recital and has even brought his family members to his weekly visits with them.  There is room for a lot of improvement but its actually something that they look forward to every week.  They even count the days!  So, although Gary and I were only looking at the short term plan, I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT…”The Little's are here to stay!”    

Anthony

Anthony has started second grade this year at our elementary school.  He still struggles to feel like he fits in here in the house.  His biggest challenge currently is his relationship with Spencer.  Spencer and him are both very competitive and all Anthony wants to do is look up to him and to be his shadow.

Anthony is also still continuing with struggling socially and with his constant appetite.  He often eats enough to make himself sick to his stomach.  This still makes me sad that they compulsively eat because they now have access to food more regularly than they have had before.  To help him work on his social skills, he has been signed up for Cub Scouts and CCD, and is looking forward to playing Basketball this Winter.  

Kayla

Kayla is doing much better with the loss of her mother in her life.  She is currently is enrolled in CCD, and honestly I needed a break from dance classes this season.  We will sign her up next year again when she decides what she would like to do.  


Kayla continues to struggle with her Severe Attachment Disorder so I am not sure that we will be signing her up for Girlscouts until next year.  Kindergarten has helped in this area, plus we might also be signing her up for basketball this winter.  

Tucker

So...lets start with...Tucker's heart looks GREAT!  Which has finally has been a relief, but we know all to well that there will always be ebb and flows in this area.  Tucker has not had a repeat SVT episode since the Summer.  At our last Cardiology appointment we presented all of his portable EKG's for his cardiologist to review.  They all came back within normal (well…HIS normal) limits.  So, right now, we are back to 6 month clinic appointments.  We have also been looking closer into Tucker’s “Developmental Delay” diagnosis in the Cardiac Neurodevelopemental Clinic.  We have had him re-tested and again, we have added a multitude of developmental diagnosis’s.  After a recent conversation with his teacher and multiple attempts at avoiding the subject, we have decided to put Tucker on medication to help with his severe anxiety and to help him concentrate better in school.  Now he doesn’t sleep…I swear, we just cant win!  LOL  Tucker also received a far sited astigmatism diagnosis from our family eye doctor this month.  

He has been reluctant to wear his glasses because he is afraid that kids will make fun of him, yet he tells us that he can finally see the words so that he can read.  ;-(

US


Gary

Gary continues to work days and has been enjoying more time at home with the kids.  They have missed him terribly since he was working all of the time.  He has transitioned into a “Mr. Mom” very well.  He is now a pro at braiding hair.  😊   Some sad news is that our only car that fits the entire family, his Ford F150, has completely died.  We are fearful that it may be the transmission, as it seems to be slipping out of gear while we were driving it.  The last thing that we need is a NEW car payment RIGHT before CHRISTMAS!   

…and lastly...there's ME!

Ugh…School is back for me as well.  This semester I decided to take 3 classes this semester, bad choice on my part.  I thought that I signed up for a bunch of easy classes…NOPE!  They are some of the hardest that I have ever taken.  Although I am learning a lot, almost all of my free time is devoted to reading and writing essay’s.  I have been sick these last few weeks and have fallen behind in my schoolwork.  My professors have been amazing and have allowed me the flexability to pass things in late.   

If you know me well, you know that take pride in my skin.  I have often told the story of my aunt who doesn’t seem age, or my love of all things soap.  Hell, how do you guys think my soap company started?  I am literally obsessed.  The “real” story, my paternal family genes are quite strong, and I have inherited my father’s attitude and his autoimmune disease which is called, Psoriatic Arthritis.  The remedy to throw these flareups into remission is weekly Chemotherapy injections which make me SICK beyond sick!  I am currently on a 6 week trial of Methotrexate and there seems to be some relief, but I am no where close to being pain free.     

Lastly, many of you have reached out to me and have asked, “What can I do to help?”  We have always been grateful of our village, and I swear, it is “Our Village” that has gotten me through the rough days lately.  There is so much that we need right now, as our savings has dwindled, and our debt has grown exuberantly.  With all of this recent car trouble, we are just trying to stay afloat for the holidays.  So, at the request of several family members, I have compiled an Amazon Wish List for the kids for Christmas.  These are just a few things that they are hoping are under the tree this year on Christmas morning.  Should you like to contribute, please feel free to access the Amazon wishlist here...Amazon Watson Kids Christmas Wish List

http://a.co/aLQ0deC 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Dreams do come true...now...MOVE THAT BUS!

This past Sunday at 9am I was standing at a register when Walgreen's opened to pick up a prescription for one of the kids.  A very dashing man came in dressed from head to toe in brand new Under Armor clothes, which seemed out of place on his all business physique.  He was showing a picture on his cellphone to everyone with whom would look and asking questions about the area's open late night convenience stores as he was from out of town and not familiar with our area.  I cant tell you what struck me more, the desperation in his voice or the pain that was so visible in his eyes.  My heart still breaks for this man, who's parting words to us (with fear in his voice and tears in his eyes) were..."I just want to find my son!"  It was then that I realized how widespread society's drug (and mental health) epidemic truly is.  As he drove off in his brand new Lexus, I wondered how many times he has driven around and searched for him.  It wasn't until he drove off did I realize how parallel our lives were.  Just a few minutes of a conversation and yet days later...I can not get this out of my mind.  Moral of the story is..."Don't ever think that this lifestyle won't effect you!" 

An Update.
We had the most amazing Christmas!  The kids said SO many times that day..."This is the BEST DAY EVER!"  So to my wonderful village with whom it would never have been possible without...Thank you SO much!  Watching them enjoy the day so much was our best gift ever.

Spencer
Spencer is doing well.  He has taken this season off of sports to concentrate on his academics as he is still playing some catch up within his Math and Reading areas.  We are very proud of all of the progress that he has made so far this year.  He also recently signed up to be a "son" in his Middle School's production of Disney's Mulan.  Were hoping that this will help his self esteem, as he is very shy sometimes around many of his peers.  He continues to fight me every Sunday morning when its time to go to CCD, I might bribe him with donuts after he attends class.  He also continues to attend Cubscouts, and this year he will be crossing the bridge to Boyscouts so we are looking at the two different troops in town and choosing which one that he will be attending this month.  He is also going to be playing Spring baseball.

Tucker
Tucker is also doing well in school.  He complains that he doesn't like it and that it is hard, but he continues to do well academically.  His behavior continues to be an area that he struggles in, however his tantrums and visits to the principle's office are becoming more infrequent.  A few weeks ago he did come home with a letter saying that he was going to start working on more Empathy.  What can I say...He is no doubt his mother's child.  :)  This week we had a followup in the Cardiac Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital where we discussed the several "Cyonotic AKA blue" episodes that he has had since his last visit to the Clinic.  These episodes are few and far between and only come on with exercise.  So the question is, "Is this Tucker's new normal?" or "is there something more going on?"  During physical activity, he will say things like "my heart hurts!" or he will just sit down where he is for a minute until it subsides.  SO we were advised, if these episodes are SVT episodes that the only way to capture this would be from an EKG machine.  THANK GOD for technology has come SO far, and they make a smartphone EKG app and a device that connects to your smartphone that is FDA approved where you can register the episode and send it to your cardiologist to read.  After an amazing donation from a friend, I have purchased one of these devices and should have it in hand by the end of the week.  (We might buy a few more for school to have as well) I have spoken with the school and everyone which has any interaction with him to look for the signs of these SVT episodes and to call me ASAP should one occur again. 

The Littles
SO as some of you may know, Gary and I now have permanent guardianship of BOTH of The Little's.  We will continue to support them both until they turn 18 as long as their is not another contest from either one of their parents.  I am hopeful that they will remain with our family YET ready to fight if needed.  Fingers crossed. 

Anthony
Anthony has been doing fantastic in school, he has been playing a lot of catch up since he was previously home schooled.  He is now comfortable in his class and we could not be happier with the selection of his homeroom teacher.  She is taking a little extra time with him every week and helping him to learn to read.  He has also recently been reading a book nightly to Tucker and his sister.  He is continues to enjoy reading and is often proud of himself when he finishes a new story.  With all of the testosterone in this home now, there is no doubt that the "boys" are often fighting over a toy or fighting over who was first in line to brush their teeth.  All I can say is that Gary and I have learned to pick our battles.  (More development to come in this area)  Anthony has also had about 4 (supervised) visits with his Dad, as per our discussion with DCF and the judge since our last court visit.  All of them have gone very well and Anthony looks forward to them every week.  His trauma therapy continues biweekly and he is currently working on how to deal with his frustrations with not seeing his Mom regularly.  Also, we found out recently that poor Anthony has a severe Amoxicillin allergy that landed him in the ER TWICE within 24 hours.   We are armed with an Epipen just in case now.   Allergy testing is again on the books for him in the Spring.   He also continues to enjoy CCD classes.  he begs me to go every week which is quite the change from our boys.  

Kayla
Kayla has been doing well.  She has continue to pursue making friends at all of our weekly activity places that I bring her to.  She loves her dance and gymnastics class that she is currently enrolled in.  She is really looking forward to her recital this June and we have started talking about her upcoming birthday party in July.  She has also tested off the charts with her preschool testing.  (Testing at a 7 year old level) She continues to work on social things around schooling where she struggles.  I will be filling out kindergarten paperwork for her this week for the fall.  She has had two visits with her Dad which have gone well.  She continues to struggle with sharing him with her brother and often regresses like a baby to get more attention from him.  The last time that she had seen him she was an infant.  It's going to be a LONG learning process.    Kayla continues to attend her biweekly therapy sessions to address her SEVERE attachment disorder and to talk about her abandonment issues regarding her Mom.  We are finally at the point that she doesn't cry herself to sleep nightly, which is SO much of an improvement than before.  She is looking forward to playing her first sport in the Spring. 

The Others (Shout out to my LOST peeps!)
Just so you all know...My cousin, The Little's Mom, also has two older children (which are currently staying with other family members) with whom are NOT taking this transition very well.  It is hard to parent yourself for years (and your younger siblings) and then live in a home with structure and rules as an older teenager.  Both of their guardians have been through hell these last few months.  So please pray for my family member's sanity at this point as they have some very difficult decisions for the teens to make on their behalf over the next few weeks.   

US
I have married the greatest man in the world.  He continues to work two jobs everyday (from 6:30am-10pm) to make it possible for me to stay home with the kids.  He is getting very tired, so I am going to be looking at trying to get a flexible summer job to try to take some of the load off of him until I can go back to work full time.  Lets be honest...I am SO not a stay at home Mother.  I kind of think that I was physically made to work full time.  I thank my family for instilling a hearty work ethic in myself.  Because I have never felt so useless not contributing more finances to our joint bank account.  We are barely getting by it seems, however, it is what it is... and TEMPORARY.  I continue to take night classes at QCC twice a week, which is a nice reason to get showered, dressed and get out of the house among other adults.  Also this month, Gary and I were getting sued by a jerk that Gary hit in an accident almost 5 years ago.  Our insurance company deposed us, and we were all set to go to trial, the jerk settled with our insurance company for $28,000, almost $100k shy of his original request, one hour before the deadline.  Although he had only $9,000 in damage to his late model sedan.  This case has required us constant stress and caused more sleepless nights as we would have had to pay out of our pocket anything over our 100k policy.  SO we are thrilled that this nightmare is finally behind us. 

FINALLY...some much needed R&R...AND...Move that Bus...!
Well...I have saved the best news for last...!  Late last year, Tucker was submitted to the "Make-A-Wish" foundation.  Our two wish granters, Barbara and Marilyn came out and spoke with Tucker last Fall to determine what he would want to do for his wish.  After a conversation where he told them that he wanted a ball...and then a bike...He told them that he wanted more toys, more Lego's to be exact!  So they came out again and brought him Lego's and told him about Legoland in Florida, and he said that he wanted to go there for his wish...SO Orlando...I hope that you are ready for "Watson Party of 6!"...because we leave next month for a week to do all FLORIDA things a kid can do. 

FYI...We will be keeping this on the DL with the kids because they will want to go everyday they wake up and honestly, sleeping has really been an issue for every single one of them.  So our plan is to have the "Make A Wish" folks here and tell them the night before we leave.  And if that wasn't enough good news.  ALSO, while we are gone, we will have a contractor make all of the kids their own individual space in our home.  Goodbye to my large Master bedroom, sigh...  This will take a lot to pull off in just 6 days...so if you are willing to help, please reach out to me and I will add your name to the volunteer list that I have already started. 

Again, thank you so much for all of your calls giftcards and wonderful messages of support to our new family.  It is just like a HUGE hug to know that we are SO loved by our AMAZING villagers. 

XOXO
Much Love,
Michelle, Gary, Spencer, Anthony, Tucker & Kayla