A note to anyone who would ever have to care for my girls!

A thought occurred to me the other day (while we were taking our foster care classes).

What would I want someone to know about how to take care of my girls if I wasn't able to care for them anymore?!?

First, Kaitlyn is not a misbehaved child. She is very smart and opinionated, but she also has another label... a few actually. A "disability" that some people dismiss or ignore. She has aspbergers which means she has to have things a certain way. 

Second, Brittany is a middle child. She needs a little TLC on occasion because she gets "overlooked" being between Kaitlyn who DEMANDS attention and Alyssa's illness. 

Third, Watch out for Alyssa. She may be little, but she packs a mean punch. When then big kids come in crying and blame it on Alyssa, they are probably telling the truth. I can't tell you how many times I have said "Alyssa, stop picking on the big kids!"

Those are the 3 basic pointers about each of my treasures.... I expect that they will be treated as such!!

Now I will list a few more things you would need to know... in no particular order.

Alyssa is a parrot. She will repeat anything you say. Just ask Kaitlyn. She always wanted one of the toy parrots you buy in the store. We always joke that she doesn't need one because she has Alyssa.

That brings me to my next point.... Write this one down... Remind the kids (all of them including the dad) that Alyssa is a human being and not a toy. They carry her around, get her to repeat everything they say, and carry on playing with their toy  little sister.

Kaitlyn is a very picky eater... not picky like some kids.... She will NOT eat anything with sauce! Yes I mean anything.... Pizza, Spaghetti, Lasagna, no dipping sauces of any kind.... Also if it contains vegetables.... either do not tell her or keep it away. Even if you try to hid 1 small piece of vegetable in her food. She will find it and a MASSIVE fit will follow. Food is one of the few things she feels she can control.....

Safe foods for Kaitlyn. Breakfast: Waffles, Scrambled eggs with ham (mix them well.... she had better not see any white and do not cook them until they are brown or she will not eat them), reeses cereal with a small amount of milk (they have to be covered but cannot be floating), and sausage (she LOVES sausage.... she can eat a whole pound by herself). Lunch: Ham and turkey sandwiches sometimes with a little mayo, but only if she says she wants it (and she will only eat certain brands of lunch meat... she knows the difference so no fooling her there), ramen noodles (only pork, chicken or beef flavor), macaroni and cheese (but there can't be unmelted butter or clumps of cheese. also do not overcook the noodles), vienna sausages (she has to have a full can or none at all), chicken cordon blue nuggets, certain chicken nuggets and only on rare occasion, corn dogs on occasion and she can always find something at a fast food place that has a play place. Dinner: Chicken Cordon Blues with chicken rice a roni, boneless skinless chicken breast with cream of chicken soup on top, fried chicken (not homemade though) Her favorite food of all time is KFC!! That's about it for dinner.... so good luck!!

Brittany will eat almost anything, but she LOVES fruity pebbles for breakfast!

Alyssa is like Kaitlyn and rarely eats.... She has to have the following foods to survive: Yogurt, bananas, strawberries, blueberries (her favorite), and milk in a bottle...... she will not drink it any other way and the doctors say she would literally starve without it.

Kaitlyn eats constantly which is a challenge since she doesn't like many foods. She has to have a minimum of 2 snacks per day.

Kaitlyn has to bathe alone... she doesn't like anyone to see her un clothed.

Brittany can not be left unattended in the bath because she likes to put her head under the water as soon as you walk away.

Brittany can practically scale a wall.... she can climb anything... Watch out she has been known to land on people's heads.

Remember the number 3.... what number was it?!?! you forgot already?? 3...... got it now? ok
Kaitlyn has to do everything 3 times. She has to have 3 paper towels in a public restroom, if you rub her back you have to go up and down 3,6,9,12,15,18.... you get the pictures... times, 3 squirts of soap, etc. If you just remember the number 3 and have some understanding (we know 3 squirts of soap is way too much, but she NEEDS it to keep her head straight).

Kaitlyn is incapable of falling asleep on her own without some anxiety involved..... here are just a few of the things that have to be done at night. Medicines come first.... she has to have her sleeping pill first, her powder 2nd then her vitamin (which have to be the animal ones from Walmart), Next they get their PJs on, Then they brush their teeth (this is an adventure every night), then family prayers (youngest to oldest.... Kaitlyn struggles when things are out of order although she is getting better), then hugs and kisses (youngest to oldest for Kaitlyn again.... order is important), then tuck ins.... she has to have her light positioned just right. If someone moved it even an inch she HAS to fix it. It could take her 15 minutes but she will NOT sleep if it is not right. The she has to make sure every door in the house is closed.... (bathroom, Alyssa's room, my bedroom, closets and everything). Then you have to pat rub and scratch her back..... 3 of each.... do not do it 2 or 4.... It's not worth her anxiety so please just remember 3.... Then she has to be tucked in a certain way so she feels safe but not too tight..... practice makes perfect on this one. Then her door.... 2 stuffed animals or dolls have to guard the door so it doesn't open or close too much. It has to be open about 1/3 of the way with a doll behind and an animal in front. She has had meltdowns before due to the door being open or closed too much.

Kaitlyn can not stand to be alone. She has to have someone else in the room with her..... Some times her sister will due and other times she needs to be on our floor to be near a grown up.

Brittany wakes up about an hour or two after you put her in bed (almost every night). She will be screaming hysterically and is not alert enough to tell you what she needs. She just needs to use the restroom. Lead her to the potty. When she is done, tuck her back into her bed.

Routine and not a lot of change are key.... be consistent and everything will be great!!

Please tell me that someone else's list would look like this too..... Some kids are more challenging than others.
I love my girl, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. If I was not around to care for them,.... Please treat them like the treasures they are. Do not yell too much... They really try to be good. (Oh you may have to yell at Brittany.. we think she has trouble hearing... we still haven't been able to get her to pass a hearing test).