Adjustments Ahead

      Summer Vacation is coming, yippee..... or not. Summer vacation means change and change doesn't go over very well here at our house. Especially when that change comes on the heels of Mothers Day. Two big emotionally frightening things happening at once call for meltdowns, over stimulation and all out crazy behavior. 
    I was counting on CHOP to help us out with a diagnosis and recommendations for behavior problems. I haven't heard from them since Joseph's appointment on May 7. Yesterday I emailed the lady who kindly guided me through the registration process and told me which records I would need to obtain from physicians and therapists. She replied within an hour of when I sent the email and said she will check into it for me. I wish I could let her know how much her kindness is appreciated. 
   Last night I told Dean that as frustrating as Joseph's behavior can be at times, I do not feel so alone and isolated as we did with Braden. He said he thinks that is because Joseph has good times,

 times when he is funny, adorable and sweet. He may try my patience to the limit but he will turn and hug me and tell me he loves me with all the adoration of a two year old. It melts my heart every time. The sweet innocent side of him is what keeps me going when he is raging because of some inconsequential issue, or what appears inconsequential to me. 
   Yesterday we had a meltdown over a caterpillar. Lia loves caterpillars. Some one told her they turn into butterflies and ever since, she thinks they are so amazing. Joseph learned in school that caterpillars eat trees. Yesterday Lia found a caterpillar and came to tell me about it. Joseph jumped up and prepared to dispose of it. Lia began wailing because Joseph wanted to smash her new friend. I told Joseph to let it go and he burst into tears because the caterpillar will eat all of our tree's!!!