Chuck E Cheese - Not Just A Rat Establishment

So apparently the Saginaw Chuck E Cheese will have a hired police officer on sight on Thursday - Sunday.  For us personally this is about 7 years too late.  But first of all, how ridiculous that a children's establishment would have to have police presence at all. 

You can read the local article here. The article is rather lame, it's the outrageous comments that make you laugh right out loud.

Joe and I vowed never to go to Chuck E Cheese ever again on a weekend or even late on a weeknight after getting to witness one of these "family spars" back in January 2004.  I had infant Austin in a booth and Joe had almost 3 year old Tommy playing out in the game room when all hell breaks loose and people come running to the back of the restaurant claiming someone has a gun.  It was scary but nothing ever became of the incident and who knows if there was even a gun there but it was still enough for Joe and I to say "never again."  I remember dragging a heartbroken Tommy out of the place as our fun family night was abruptly put to an end.

Joe worked there in high school/college and said that every year there was one birthday party that always ended up with police called due to Baby Mama Drama.  Once a year.  Now it's a once a week thing.  Totally disturbing. 

Now about those LOL comments. I probably shouldn't be laughing.  The decent person in me knows that there are bad apples in every bunch that ruin everything for the good majority.  The human nature in me thinks something much more dastardly that I know is wrong so I won't voice it.

I will just sum this up by saying if Chuck E Cheese's new police presence every weekend does not curb the violence I'd honestly rather just have them close it down. I'm just waiting to read in the news about a homicide of some innocent bystander at CEC of all places.  Simply incredulous.

Potty Training the Monster

Overall it's going well. I'm doing Lora Jenson's 3 day training deal and I know I have a bunch of doubters out there but day three is here and we've just about conquered. 

Ashley threw away all her diapers on Tuesday morning and there's been no looking back. She mastered peeing on the potty yesterday and has been dry all day today.  She did however resist going poop on the potty and since she hadn't gone since Monday I knew today she had to go.  It's been a day of up/down, up/down, probably about 30 times an hour at times but she'd say "potty" we'd run get on, panic, get off and then repeat over and over.  Finally, we just camped out in the big bathroom upstairs and she did go on the potty and has been such a pleasant little girl ever since.  I definitely think we are on the way. 

Tomorrow we will try our first trek out and about.  Austin has therapy at 11:00 so she'll either go with us there or she'll go to daycare for a few hours.  We'll see.  Then Honeybees & Church on Saturday.  Lots of nice short outings in the coming days.  I'm sure she'll have a few accidents and maybe a setback or two but I'm cautiously optimistic at just how well this has gone three days in. 

Fingers crossed!! 

Austin's Hockey

Well after much anticipation (remember we first heard about this in September) Austin finally started hockey in Ann Arbor.  Today was week five, and honestly to say it's going well would be an overstatement.  It's been a very rough and shaky start with many tears (mostly Austin's) and very minimal progress.  Honestly after watching video from the first week and comparing to today I'd say he's actually regressed.  I guess one positive is that he continues to go out there and he does not seem any worse for wear emotionally after it's over.  God Bless his lovely coaches and the doctor who coordinated this because for many of the kids it's been wonderful and I'm still hopeful that Austin will find success with this. 

I guess my biggest heart ache is I'd figured a special needs hockey team would put Austin on a level playing field and it's just not happening.  He is the youngest one out there and there are some kids that are 5-6 years older than him.  Many of the other kids are doing super and I'm so happy for them but Austin just can't skate.  He is scared of falling and can barely move out there.  I will say one positive is he can pass about as good as anyone.  That is thanks to all those mini-stick games in our living room.  He's got great accuracy.  I just need to get him skating.  Joe took him to Bay County Friday night for open skate and said he did well.  Maybe he just doesn't perform well for me.  Our next step is to try and get him out on the ice more locally and hopefully get him moving. 

His PT does think it's helping his right foot strength which is another positive.  He's seeing movement and flexibility in the foot now so that is another good thing.  It's just hard when it looks like everyone else improving exponentially and Austin is still stuck at square one.  We'll stick it out for the duration though which right now I don't know what the duration is so we'll just have to wait and see.  Will keep you posted on the progress or lack thereof but hopefully soon we'll have a breakthrough. 

Where I've been...

I know I've neglected the blog but I am on the last book.  I'll be better in February, I promise.  January sucked anyways, January's always do.