Yeah, yeah, yeah...it's been some time.
We're on another whirlwind: summer school, singing, motherdom, weddings, etc.
I guess I'll start with summer school. For monetary reasons alone, I opted to teach an arts curriculum for Pittsburgh Public School's Summer Dreamers Academy, a fancy title for summer school. Aren't they clever? Alison Zapata and I are co-teaching (thank the dear Lord) inner city first and second graders in an unairconditioned building, and it has been an eye-opening, completely draining experience. First of all, the lack of communication between administration and teaching staff is mind-boggling, and secondly, I cannot believe how many 7-year-old gangsta thugs we have in the room. Like father, like son? I don't know...these are the kids that need us the most, and their need for attention manifests in MANY different ways. I'm trying to hone my empathy as a calming tool when things go awry, but it's difficult. I don't think the 95 degree and up temperatures in the school help much either. Oh well...14 more days.
Singing. WOO! Well, Bob asked Dan and I to play a gig at Caribou next Wednesday, the 27th. C'mon down! I think we start around 6:30pm. We're doing our blues/soul set. We're simultaneously prepping for a wedding gig and the cabaret I'm apparently debuting in Westmoreland county in late August. Add to that some soloist work with the Eclectic Laboratory Chamber Orchestra on August 5th, and I suddenly feel like a honest-to-goodness working singer again. And it feels great! It's time for Dan and I to make some dough wailing on voice/guitar because dang, we rock, yo. We just dilly-dally in the marketing, go-get-'em department. The cabaret is coming together s-l-o-w-l-y (I still need to write it), but I'm stoked to have something under my belt that's completely mine. It will all come together because it has to. Yesterday, I mailed my application and dvd audition for the second season of "The Voice," too. Why the heck not? If I've got it, might as well flaunt it. If nothing happens, then it's no skin off our backs - business as usual. But if something does happen...well...let's just say karma owes us big time.
In Jack news, we decided to take him off the gluten/casein free diet for a spell. After eight months, we have not seen any major benefits from this diet. He had sleep issues both on/off the diet, never had any major gastrointestinal problems to begin with and some of his focus improvement might have more to do with age and behavioral therapy. With his hypoglycemia issues, we feel that a healthy, well-fed boy is more important right now. The diet is so restrictive and SO expensive, and it's benefits are still conjecture. Many parents/doctors feel strongly about the benefits or lack there of for children with autism, and most research is inconclusive. So far, it's hard to tell whether there's been any major change by adding gluten and dairy back in the mix. He's thrilled to have goldfish, ice cream and mac-n-cheese again. He's been stimming a little bit more, but he's also going through another waking-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night phase, something that happened regularly even on the diet. When he's exhausted, he tends to stim more, and yesterday, he konked out at 7:15pm. He has two weeks to give his body a chance to adjust, and then, we'll decide. I've read several autism websites that talk about adding digestive enzymes to the child's diet to help them process troublesome foods. Many parents have had much success with their children on the spectrum taking these enzymes while keeping a regular diet. That might be our next step. If there are naysayers out there, disapproving of our decision...bite me. We're doing the best we can. AND he can go back on the GFCF diet at any time.
Other than that, it's wedding and shower time a-go-go. We have five weddings to attend this summer and one friend having a baby. So, every weekend from last week onward holds a new bridal/baby shower, bachelorette party or ceremony. We're a little stressed about money and wanting to represent ourselves gift-wise, but you know, we'll do what we can. Luckily, our friends mostly understand where we're at and what we can handle, but I still want to do something nice for them. I have a few tricks up my sleeve yet.
Well, time to do the dishes and prepare for another sweaty afternoon in the classroom....
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