Update from the Garden State

Kiddo and I arrived safely in NJ early Sunday afternoon. (Side note to Pennsylvania: What the HECK is the deal with closing every *single* highway down to one lane for 20 miles, then having a mile or two of open road, then another 20 miles of one lane with 45MPH speed limits? Can't you just do one stretch at a time? YEESH.) When we got here, the sun was shining, skies were blue, and it was a balmy 67 degrees outside. Kiddo and Grandma's puppy (a 6 month old Standard Poodle) frolicked in the back yard for hours, then went on a pine cone gathering expedition with Grandpa all around the property. Kiddo needed that exercise after being strapped into her booster seat all morning on the drive down, glued to the DVD player.

Yesterday morning she woke up bright and early, excited to spend the day with two of her cousins. I headed out with my aunt to go check out the kitchen cabinets we plan to order for the new house down in King of Prussia, PA. (Side note to King of Prussians: that sure looks like one heckuva mall y'all have got yourselves there. Wish I could've shopped!) The weather went from icky to downright miserable as the day progressed, culminating in thunder and lightning storms by evening. This meant the kids were stuck inside all day. They also watched a couple of movies over the course of the day.

By nightfall last night, I could tell Kiddo was getting disregulated. I did some deep pressure and had her do some heavy work, but she was still off. She was wound up at bedtime and woke up during the night (scaring the bejesus out of me when she appeared in the pitch dark at my bedside at 2:15am). She slept in a little bit this morning, but was wound up from the second she woke up.

These are the pitfalls of traveling with an SPD kid - get her off her schedule and there are consequences. As we clearly aren't just going to stay home forever to avoid this, we have to try to compensate and provide enough sensory input to keep her regulated 'til we're back on our normal schedule. At this point today, Kiddo is still wound up but holding it together pretty well. It's still wet out, so I'm not sure we'll be able to get outside again today. Two more of her cousins are here so she is entertained at least, and my sister and I have decreed it to be a No TV Day, which should help. I am expecting there to be a meltdown either tonight or tomorrow morning, though.... tomorrow morning when we're getting back in the car for 6 hours to drive back home. Hubby reports it is supposed to be sunny and warm at the end of this week at home, so that will be helpful as we'll be able to get Kiddo outside and running around.

In the meantime, I'm just trying to help her hold it together and get her extra sensory input where I can. I may have her sleep with me tonight to try and get some deep pressure into her before tomorrow. Of course that will mean less sleep for me, as she tends to turn into a creature made of naught but sharp elbows and jabby feet when she's asleep... but that's what caffeine is for, right? Keeping tired mamas awake?

I wish it were easier on her (and subsequently us) to travel without complications. At least when we're with family, they understand the SPD and that it isn't just Kiddo flying off the deep end. *sigh* At least she's having fun with her cousins right now...

Send good, calming sensory vibe type thoughts our way as we trek back through the construction that are the Pennsylvania roads to get home tomorrow, will you please? I'd appreciate it!