Outrageous Fortune

I'm back! Well, sort of.  I have decided to blend my two passions — journalism and parenting disabled children — into a new weekly publication. Check it out at MedicalMotherhood.com . ...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2021/05/news-and-information-specifically-for.html

Life can change so quickly. Little more than a month ago, I was a stay-at-home mom, and seemed destined to stay that way at least until the kids went to full-time school. Tired, drained and pul...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/07/shasta-return-to-journalism.html

6:15 a.m.: I wake up to a gorgeous morning feeling fully rested. I open my curtains and see hot air balloons floating in the distance. 6:20 a.m.: I realize that — because it is the epitome...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/05/a-day-in-our-life-from-hot-air-balloons.html

OK, I admit it. I have trouble remembering to give Malachi his medicine. Even when I do, later I don't remember whether or not I actually did give it to him. Part of this has to do with the ...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/how-to-make-medicine-spreadsheet-chart.html

You might think hippotherapy is some bizarre form of exercise with highly dangerous two-ton water cows. You would be wrong. Even though it is not called equitherapy, it has to do with horses. S...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/adventures-in-hippotherapy.html

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/silent-sunday-omsi.html

Something I've really incorporated during the past year is how important it is to stay positive . As in, it actually improves outcomes to focus on what is going right and ignore what isn't. Tha...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/floor-time-frustration.html

When Malachi was first born and in the NICU, he ate more readily and gained weight faster than his identical twin. For several months, he was the larger of the two. It was not to last. He began...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/using-vitalstim-to-counter-dysphagia-in.html

Remember my post about the Risks and Rewards of Being a Medical Research Subject ? Well, one of the rewards I forgot to mention is that they tend to give you money. For example, during last week'...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/reaping-rewards.html

Today JJ is off on an adventure with his aunt, and I have been ruminating on twinhood and disability. I do this from time to time. Perhaps it's because I had only two months between when I foun...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/twinhood-scrambled.html

OK, this is a silly little post, but I'm quite proud of this idea, so I needed to share it. I put Chia Seeds , which are super nutritious and high in fiber, into a pepper shaker. Pay atte...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/chia-seeds-simple-and-fun-way-to-make.html

Do you see how much Malachi is enjoying himself here?? This was a total shock to me! This is during our second visit in the OnTrack study , a Canadian effort to track the progress of child...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/the-risks-and-rewards-of-being-medical.html

Moms don't get holidays off — in fact, as this awesome video points out — they work harder! Fortunately for me, bloggers do get holidays off, because I say so. I don't even have cute Easter...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/happy-easter.html

Malachi at 38 months adjusted age. Right before this picture was shot, he asked me: "Mama, what is 'pee-saw-rus'?" trying to read "Phosphorus" off this element block.  Here's a typical ...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/how-our-twin-three-year-olds-learned-to.html

We had a fabulous time at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn today. Enjoy the spring colors! Feel free to share this post using the tiny icon buttons below and ...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/spring-color-at-tulip-festival.html

"Screen Time" is a BFD in our house. Episodic wars are fought over it throughout the day, every day. Limiting young children's exposure to technology is difficult in most households, but whe...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/how-to-answer-screen-time-challenge.html

The yellow field flowers were out in bloom so we spent a moment picking some. Then the boys asked (demanded) to put them in their hair. I pulled out some bobby pins from mine and skewered th...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/what-makes-little-girl.html

Someone recently gave me a copy of Understanding Your Child's Sensory Signals: A Practical Daily Use Handbook for Parents and Teachers . I love it! This book is chockfull of practical strategie...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/a-great-book-for-understanding-kids.html

Dear Video Game Developers, Wanna do something really cool and meaningful? Develop a game system that teaches my kid how to walk. I'm not kidding. I can clearly see in my mind a long roll-o...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/how-video-games-could-teach-my-kid-to.html

I'm calling in sick today. This is the third day in a row that I've woken up with a migraine, which I'm desperately hoping is not a new trend. Usually I can kick it with Excedrin and it disappear...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/my-most-favorite-page-on-internet.html

"I'm feeling pretty good. Because I'm wearing a smile." — JJ, age 3

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/kids-cant-bounce-off-walls-when-there.html

Flying with a three-year-old is never fun. Add to that an enormous amount of luggage to keep said three-year-old upright and you have a ghastly mix. A few days before our recent surgery trip to...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/have-kid-with-cp-will-travel.html

The process of getting a power chair is long and arduous! It took us a long time to get this one and by then it was winter — dark, yucky and sometimes icy outside. On the little bit of practice...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/watch-3-year-olds-pure-joy-when-he-can.html

Alright, so this cultural reference is going to be about two decades too late, but I think it's funny, so here goes! (BTW, many of these could end "You might be a multiples parent" too! Tw...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/you-might-be-special-needs-parent.html

My son has a hard time with fine motor control, but LOVES books. So, we got some of these ACCO KLIX Classic Metal Paper Fasteners . They are stronger and stay better than regular paper clips and ...

http://www.outrageousfortune.net/2014/04/klix-easy-way-to-turn-pages-in-books.html