Summer brings to mind so many fond memories of wonderful days on the water for me as a child. The days of swimming, riding bikes, fishing, being on the boat & playing outside all day are some of my most cherished memories. Even those wonderful rainy days curled up with a good book were wonderful. As kids my siblings and I were subjected to “child abuse” LOL or so we thought at the time because my dad would discontinue the cable television!! I know a travesty right? The good news is we all survived and perhaps are even more interesting and certainly well read individuals.
All of those happy memories made me want to also give my kids a little piece of that. Our son spends a great deal of his summer vacation time in extended school year so we try and capitalize on our time together. My husband and I both love the water (ocean, lake, river—we’re not picky!) and wanted to instill that in our son and daughter. Having an Autistic son sometimes makes some of the events a challenge but he’s quickly learning to enjoy them as much as his sister does which increases my husband’s, my daughter’s & my enjoyment of it all too. It plucks at my heart strings to see my son excitedly running down the beach after his sister flying a kite or trying so hard to help build a sand castle.
If you’re going stir crazy and need to get out of the house:
Find air conditioned gym places (Bounce U, Twisters, Little Gym) for open play time
*** A bouncy kid is a happy kid at our house.
Check out aquariums, museums, area parks, historic sites and conservation tour areas.
*** They have great touch & feel museums, children’s displays or walking tours if you check their sites.
Search for area charities (Surfer’s Healing, Heart of Sailing, Variety Children’s Charity, Sea Paddle of NYC, etc.) who host events for Autistic Children and their families. ***Many are free or reduced rate events.
http://www.bestdayfoundation.org/ http://heartofsailing.org/default.asp
http://www.seapaddlenyc.org/ http://www.surfershealing.org/index.html
http://www.varietychildrenscharity.org/ http://www.poac.net/
Our state is rich with historic lighthouses and some of the country’s most beautiful beaches right at our back door. We’re also within driving distance of Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, NYC, the Thousand Islands, Poconos Mountains, Adirondack Mountains and even some provinces of Canada.
If you’re looking for ideas to do closer to home then you could do all sorts of stuff! Picnic in your own backyard, camp out at Grandma’s house, spend a rainy day at the local library, have a neighborhood block party or snuggle around a “camp fire” in your backyard and roast marshmallows. Try out a Yoga class for Special Needs kids, book a therapeutic horseback riding lesson, look for seashells and sea glass on the beach, fly a kite.
Many of my childhood, summer memories are of the simplest things. They are all about my being with my Parents, Grandparents, siblings, cousins, Aunts and Uncles. The love, innocence and pure joy of just having time to play and be a kid is what I hope to instill in both my children.
Showing posts with label Regressive Autism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Regressive Autism. Show all posts
Monday, June 7, 2010
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Funny thing about swear words.........
The funny thing about swear words is that you're even happy
to hear "the bad ones" as my daughter calls them simply because
it's language when your child is Autistic. One friend tells of
going to school for her son's conference at school only to hear
her son likes to drop "the F bomb". Sadly, we were all excited
to hear it because he was talking!!!!
Will's bad word of choice has befuddled us because it's not one
of the words we use in our house. Now we're wondering where
his new love of the DAMN word has come from recently. He's
even using it appropriately. He dropped something down the
stairs & said oh damn. LOL
My son can't say his full name yet but he swears & we're thrilled.
I know my mom must be so proud right? When I was growing up
even the word FART was a swear word in our house and now they
have a whole series of kids books all about Walter the Farting Dog.
LOL You should have seen Nanny's face the first time she heard
Walter rip one on the Tag Reader!!!
to hear "the bad ones" as my daughter calls them simply because
it's language when your child is Autistic. One friend tells of
going to school for her son's conference at school only to hear
her son likes to drop "the F bomb". Sadly, we were all excited
to hear it because he was talking!!!!
Will's bad word of choice has befuddled us because it's not one
of the words we use in our house. Now we're wondering where
his new love of the DAMN word has come from recently. He's
even using it appropriately. He dropped something down the
stairs & said oh damn. LOL
My son can't say his full name yet but he swears & we're thrilled.
I know my mom must be so proud right? When I was growing up
even the word FART was a swear word in our house and now they
have a whole series of kids books all about Walter the Farting Dog.
LOL You should have seen Nanny's face the first time she heard
Walter rip one on the Tag Reader!!!
Don't Beat Yourself Up..........
I got an email today from a young mom whose child was only
recently diagnosed with a Spectrum disorder. Then I received a
call from a veteran mom whose child has been diagnosed for 7+
years now. What amazed me the most about the two of them
was how similar their feelings were to each other's and mine too.
My favorite thing to say to other moms as they struggle with
the Autism monster is "do what you need to do to get through
the day".
It's not always easy & trust me when I tell you I'm not Suzie
Sunshine by any means. LOL Yes, I struggle with the worry that
everyone stares at Will or thinks he's different. Sometimes I wish
Will could be like the other kids & listen when I tell him not to
run in front of the swings at the playground instead of me having
grass stains from diving on him to keep him from getting hit. I
even wish at times like getting a family portrait done that it was
as simple as say cheese. You do mourn the what if's alot when
they're first diagnosed and then over time when it seems like
their peers are so much farther ahead. Megan is only 18 months
older so I always know what Will could be doing.
What hurts me the most though is when my Nephew who just
turned 4 is doing stuff that's closer to what Meg is doing than Will.
Sometimes I can't help myself & I cry when my mom tells
me something cute he's said or done. Not because I don't want
him to be doing those things but because I know what has been
stolen from us too.
I waste alot of days feeling sorry for myself but try not to wallow
in the pity. Some days it's easier than others. Then I look into my
son's sweet face and I'm reminded how much I adore this kid.
Flapping, hitting, kicking, biting, pushing, pulling my hair and all
of it he does and has done in public but I know deep down that's
not my beautiful boy.....it's the illness. He almost yanked huge
clumps of my hair out the first day of school when I had to drive
him to school after the bus left w/out even stopping. I have my
days that I've cried in public because he's been so bad and been
hurting me physically in a dr's office waiting room while others
watched in horror. Well watch all you want because I waited
6 months to get into this dr's office and I'm not leaving no matter
how badly my son acts or how undignified you think I look. Yes,
that's right I'm simply doing what I can to get through that day.
I have my days that I have to stop and take a really big, deep
breath as he's pinching me so often I look like a battered woman.
Some days I even have to stop and take 3 or 4 deep breaths just
to get through the first hour after he gets off the bus. You will have
those days when you feel like it would be nice just to run away, get
some drinks, take a bubble bath and order room service. They
won't ever hold a candle to those days when your child looks at
you and says I love you mommy.
People will judge you and maybe even try to make you feel badly
about how your child acts or how behind the other kids. I've had
other moms who were blessed w/only "typical" kids tell me what I'm
doing wrong and then there are the moms who have walked in my
shoes that just give me a look that says I understand. Or the dad
who sees that I'm alone and struggling when Scott used to work
all the time & he'd help me get our stuff to the car or catch
Will as he tried to run away.
I'm thankful for all of those people coming into my life because they
all just as William does have a lesson to teach me. Just remember
Autism moms and dads, God has Faith in you and your ability to parent
these Autistic kids (his "special" angels) just the way they need to be
parented. He also understands if you struggle with things not always
being peachy- keen. A true friend and compassionate person would
never ever judge you for saying just that either. You will lose friends
over the course of this illness and then you'll also meet some terrific,
inspiring, uplifting people who you'll wonder what good things you
ever did to deserve their friendship. I can promise you that. :)
Keep your chins up and just keep breathing! Keep your spirits up
and remember this isn't a sprint it's a relay and sometimes you just
have to hand off the baton in order to be able to recharge for the next leg.
recently diagnosed with a Spectrum disorder. Then I received a
call from a veteran mom whose child has been diagnosed for 7+
years now. What amazed me the most about the two of them
was how similar their feelings were to each other's and mine too.
My favorite thing to say to other moms as they struggle with
the Autism monster is "do what you need to do to get through
the day".
It's not always easy & trust me when I tell you I'm not Suzie
Sunshine by any means. LOL Yes, I struggle with the worry that
everyone stares at Will or thinks he's different. Sometimes I wish
Will could be like the other kids & listen when I tell him not to
run in front of the swings at the playground instead of me having
grass stains from diving on him to keep him from getting hit. I
even wish at times like getting a family portrait done that it was
as simple as say cheese. You do mourn the what if's alot when
they're first diagnosed and then over time when it seems like
their peers are so much farther ahead. Megan is only 18 months
older so I always know what Will could be doing.
What hurts me the most though is when my Nephew who just
turned 4 is doing stuff that's closer to what Meg is doing than Will.
Sometimes I can't help myself & I cry when my mom tells
me something cute he's said or done. Not because I don't want
him to be doing those things but because I know what has been
stolen from us too.
I waste alot of days feeling sorry for myself but try not to wallow
in the pity. Some days it's easier than others. Then I look into my
son's sweet face and I'm reminded how much I adore this kid.
Flapping, hitting, kicking, biting, pushing, pulling my hair and all
of it he does and has done in public but I know deep down that's
not my beautiful boy.....it's the illness. He almost yanked huge
clumps of my hair out the first day of school when I had to drive
him to school after the bus left w/out even stopping. I have my
days that I've cried in public because he's been so bad and been
hurting me physically in a dr's office waiting room while others
watched in horror. Well watch all you want because I waited
6 months to get into this dr's office and I'm not leaving no matter
how badly my son acts or how undignified you think I look. Yes,
that's right I'm simply doing what I can to get through that day.
I have my days that I have to stop and take a really big, deep
breath as he's pinching me so often I look like a battered woman.
Some days I even have to stop and take 3 or 4 deep breaths just
to get through the first hour after he gets off the bus. You will have
those days when you feel like it would be nice just to run away, get
some drinks, take a bubble bath and order room service. They
won't ever hold a candle to those days when your child looks at
you and says I love you mommy.
People will judge you and maybe even try to make you feel badly
about how your child acts or how behind the other kids. I've had
other moms who were blessed w/only "typical" kids tell me what I'm
doing wrong and then there are the moms who have walked in my
shoes that just give me a look that says I understand. Or the dad
who sees that I'm alone and struggling when Scott used to work
all the time & he'd help me get our stuff to the car or catch
Will as he tried to run away.
I'm thankful for all of those people coming into my life because they
all just as William does have a lesson to teach me. Just remember
Autism moms and dads, God has Faith in you and your ability to parent
these Autistic kids (his "special" angels) just the way they need to be
parented. He also understands if you struggle with things not always
being peachy- keen. A true friend and compassionate person would
never ever judge you for saying just that either. You will lose friends
over the course of this illness and then you'll also meet some terrific,
inspiring, uplifting people who you'll wonder what good things you
ever did to deserve their friendship. I can promise you that. :)
Keep your chins up and just keep breathing! Keep your spirits up
and remember this isn't a sprint it's a relay and sometimes you just
have to hand off the baton in order to be able to recharge for the next leg.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Invitation to the Board of Directors.....
Recently, I received a phone call from a man who I think just may have the biggest heart ever. It was the President of Parents of Autistic Children, a New Jersey charity. My husband & I have thought this charity is just fantastic since we found them. Then we had the pleasure of meeting Gary, it's President and we knew then why it was so special.
That day's phone call was not at all what I expected. I thought oh good maybe they're finally going to take me up on my offer to help fund raise. During my professional career I had the opportunity to organize several charity events and it felt so fulfilling. Honestly, I was missing the stimulation of working even though I cherish every single day I have at home raising my kids. No that day Gary was calling to invite me to join POAC's Board of Directors.
I can tell you I was shocked!!!!!!! Then I was so proud I thought I might burst. Naturally the first person I wanted to tell was my husband. Now I've always known he thought I was a real catch...LOL but that day I saw the pride in his eyes too. He often tells me how much he appreciates how hard I try for our son and all I sacrifice for our kids. Then I called my parents to tell them & what a great feeling. Being the 3rd child of a group of well educated, accomplished kids in my family it's always been tough to be extraordinary. That day I heard the emotion in my parents voices when they told me how proud they were of me & how perfect I was for this position. I was perfect for this!!!! The best part was my daughter's reaction...she gave me a big hug and told me she knew I would help all of the Autistic kids. Awwww!! My sweet girl.
Well I gladly accepted and am having a great time already. If you haven't done any charity work I would suggest it for everyone. My husband & I watched Gary & the other board members in action at the recent 9th Annual POAC Family picnic. That man & his team put smiles on peoples' faces & they remember names, the kids' names and boy when I grow up I want to be just like Gary. He always makes everyone feel welcome, encouraged & supported. What more could an Autism mom ask for out of life? POAC is a place where you finally find something free (Autism is NOT cheap to treat), feel supported & encouraged while also receiving valuable information & training.
That day's phone call was not at all what I expected. I thought oh good maybe they're finally going to take me up on my offer to help fund raise. During my professional career I had the opportunity to organize several charity events and it felt so fulfilling. Honestly, I was missing the stimulation of working even though I cherish every single day I have at home raising my kids. No that day Gary was calling to invite me to join POAC's Board of Directors.
I can tell you I was shocked!!!!!!! Then I was so proud I thought I might burst. Naturally the first person I wanted to tell was my husband. Now I've always known he thought I was a real catch...LOL but that day I saw the pride in his eyes too. He often tells me how much he appreciates how hard I try for our son and all I sacrifice for our kids. Then I called my parents to tell them & what a great feeling. Being the 3rd child of a group of well educated, accomplished kids in my family it's always been tough to be extraordinary. That day I heard the emotion in my parents voices when they told me how proud they were of me & how perfect I was for this position. I was perfect for this!!!! The best part was my daughter's reaction...she gave me a big hug and told me she knew I would help all of the Autistic kids. Awwww!! My sweet girl.
Well I gladly accepted and am having a great time already. If you haven't done any charity work I would suggest it for everyone. My husband & I watched Gary & the other board members in action at the recent 9th Annual POAC Family picnic. That man & his team put smiles on peoples' faces & they remember names, the kids' names and boy when I grow up I want to be just like Gary. He always makes everyone feel welcome, encouraged & supported. What more could an Autism mom ask for out of life? POAC is a place where you finally find something free (Autism is NOT cheap to treat), feel supported & encouraged while also receiving valuable information & training.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Moms need support too........
I've been talking with alot of moms of Autistic kids lately because I was planning a little bridal shower for my son's teacher & I've been out in my community doing some more advocacy work lately too. We all agree this battle isn't easy but we're all so incredibly blessed to have these beautiful children in our lives that we aren't going to stop fighting. Our angels need us!!!
I try really hard to stay positive & move forward with our fight & my son's journey back from Autism. I like to hear other people's stories and learn what they each have to teach me. I've always been a people person and I believe this will be one of my single most helpful traits in this battle against Autism. I'm far from shy & I have a great capacity for empathy so this is why I think people feel comfortable sharing their plights with me. I also let the other moms know that I understand what they're feeling, thinking, living, fearing and as a result it all just comes pouring out. It is okay to hurt and mourn the "what could have beens" or fear the "what will bes" for our kids. Please don't let anyone tell you differently!!! There will be days that you just need to cry it out so that other days you can bolster yourself back up again and get back on the front lines fighting for our kids.
We all need a safe place to fall like Dr. Phil says and too many other parents who have not and will not walk a mile in our shoes are so judgemental. Lately, its been upsetting to hear that some of the local "moms groups" have actually asked the moms of Autistic kids not to participate in their activities. WHAT??????? Its a moms' group started by moms for moms .....but they're turning away moms? How is that possible in this day & age? How could people be that closed minded that they would turn a child who has a disease that is helped through socialization with typical peers? Its not contagious!!!!!!!!! It is also not right. It is times like these that I wish I could go right over to the homes of the people in charge of groups like and have them look me in the eye & tell me my child isn't welcome. Then I remember God puts people like that in our way so we can build up our own personal resolve & vow to not give up the fight.
Are there really parents that would perpetuate this kind of ignorance amongst other children in this day & age? Instead why not use an interaction with an Autistic child as a lesson in tolerance, acceptance & patience. In closing I would simply like to say that my door is always open and I won't turn your child away even if they do come to my home with ignorant ideas and attempt to exclude my child from their "typical" play. I can't guarantee that I won't have changed their minds by the time they leave my home and have taught them a bit more tolerance than they learned at home. I can tell you this though.........the day won't EVER come that my child would turn their back on your child no matter how different or lacking in compassion they might be. Children are our futures and the future holds a huge Autism population each of whom will need a friend.
I try really hard to stay positive & move forward with our fight & my son's journey back from Autism. I like to hear other people's stories and learn what they each have to teach me. I've always been a people person and I believe this will be one of my single most helpful traits in this battle against Autism. I'm far from shy & I have a great capacity for empathy so this is why I think people feel comfortable sharing their plights with me. I also let the other moms know that I understand what they're feeling, thinking, living, fearing and as a result it all just comes pouring out. It is okay to hurt and mourn the "what could have beens" or fear the "what will bes" for our kids. Please don't let anyone tell you differently!!! There will be days that you just need to cry it out so that other days you can bolster yourself back up again and get back on the front lines fighting for our kids.
We all need a safe place to fall like Dr. Phil says and too many other parents who have not and will not walk a mile in our shoes are so judgemental. Lately, its been upsetting to hear that some of the local "moms groups" have actually asked the moms of Autistic kids not to participate in their activities. WHAT??????? Its a moms' group started by moms for moms .....but they're turning away moms? How is that possible in this day & age? How could people be that closed minded that they would turn a child who has a disease that is helped through socialization with typical peers? Its not contagious!!!!!!!!! It is also not right. It is times like these that I wish I could go right over to the homes of the people in charge of groups like and have them look me in the eye & tell me my child isn't welcome. Then I remember God puts people like that in our way so we can build up our own personal resolve & vow to not give up the fight.
Are there really parents that would perpetuate this kind of ignorance amongst other children in this day & age? Instead why not use an interaction with an Autistic child as a lesson in tolerance, acceptance & patience. In closing I would simply like to say that my door is always open and I won't turn your child away even if they do come to my home with ignorant ideas and attempt to exclude my child from their "typical" play. I can't guarantee that I won't have changed their minds by the time they leave my home and have taught them a bit more tolerance than they learned at home. I can tell you this though.........the day won't EVER come that my child would turn their back on your child no matter how different or lacking in compassion they might be. Children are our futures and the future holds a huge Autism population each of whom will need a friend.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
What a beautiful day.........
The weather was the best its been yet this Spring today on
the Jersey Shore. We enjoyed ourselves being together &
getting outside for much of the day. Naps came after hours
of giggles & squeals of glee about the sand & water table being
filled up. My husband & I got a bunch of stuff done outside &
around the yard so it was a A+ day all around here.
It was also a beautiful day for another reason too.......my
son is making strides lately. He had the week after Easter
off so we did a Yeast/Candida die off, changed him to Almond
milk and started a new probiotic at the same time. Last year
around the same time we started getting great results after
introducing Fish Oils & B vitamins. Its Easter a time of fresh
starts & rebirth right? So I figured why not! We all said our
prayers & jumped in head first.
I've said before it was almost like somebody turned off my
son's bright light when he was injured by the MMR. Can I
just tell you that now its more like somebody put it on a
dimmer switch & it just got turned up a notch. My son is
more engaging than ever now. He's seeking out company
again and can be seen hugging & kissing all the people he
recognizes. He's seeking out eye contact & holding our
gazes while giving us a nice big social smile too. My sweet
boy is even starting to do funny things like his sister does
and stopping to wait for us to laugh & he joins in too. My
heart is feeling like it could overflow now as I'm blogging
about it.
Tears came to my eyes & my 5 1/2 year old daughter
came over & said what's wrong and Will was right behind
her with a kiss & rub on the back for mommy too. All of you
other parents of Autistic children know what a HUGE DEAL
this all is for us. We sent him back to school & everybody
noticed the change. He has been eating everything in sight
lately which isn't unusual but normally he just wants to eat
junk or only one or two things. Suddenly, he'll eat anything
on his plate. Even if he doesn't eat it all he'll try it now; this
is a profound change for William. I scared the heck out of
him the other night when he ate Peas cause I whooped so
loud. LOL
He's also being a much better listener about 85% of
the time. That's huge because we used to have to ask
him not to do something several times or make him comply.
Now he does it on the first time asked. I'm starting to
wonder if my daughter wouldn't benefit from the same
things in her diet too. LOL Does anyone know if Omega 3
is good for sassiness? All joking aside; most Autistic kids
struggle with GI issues at various points of their lives.
Will had terrible issues & things just seemed to run out
of him. Not now!!! He's even getting back to normal for
that kind of stuff again too which wasn't ever a problem
prior to his vaccination injury. The smell is terrible but
I'm attributing it to the fact that his system is flushing
the toxins out and if it wasn't bad for him then it wouldn't
smell so bad either.
Its a beautiful day!
the Jersey Shore. We enjoyed ourselves being together &
getting outside for much of the day. Naps came after hours
of giggles & squeals of glee about the sand & water table being
filled up. My husband & I got a bunch of stuff done outside &
around the yard so it was a A+ day all around here.
It was also a beautiful day for another reason too.......my
son is making strides lately. He had the week after Easter
off so we did a Yeast/Candida die off, changed him to Almond
milk and started a new probiotic at the same time. Last year
around the same time we started getting great results after
introducing Fish Oils & B vitamins. Its Easter a time of fresh
starts & rebirth right? So I figured why not! We all said our
prayers & jumped in head first.
I've said before it was almost like somebody turned off my
son's bright light when he was injured by the MMR. Can I
just tell you that now its more like somebody put it on a
dimmer switch & it just got turned up a notch. My son is
more engaging than ever now. He's seeking out company
again and can be seen hugging & kissing all the people he
recognizes. He's seeking out eye contact & holding our
gazes while giving us a nice big social smile too. My sweet
boy is even starting to do funny things like his sister does
and stopping to wait for us to laugh & he joins in too. My
heart is feeling like it could overflow now as I'm blogging
about it.
Tears came to my eyes & my 5 1/2 year old daughter
came over & said what's wrong and Will was right behind
her with a kiss & rub on the back for mommy too. All of you
other parents of Autistic children know what a HUGE DEAL
this all is for us. We sent him back to school & everybody
noticed the change. He has been eating everything in sight
lately which isn't unusual but normally he just wants to eat
junk or only one or two things. Suddenly, he'll eat anything
on his plate. Even if he doesn't eat it all he'll try it now; this
is a profound change for William. I scared the heck out of
him the other night when he ate Peas cause I whooped so
loud. LOL
He's also being a much better listener about 85% of
the time. That's huge because we used to have to ask
him not to do something several times or make him comply.
Now he does it on the first time asked. I'm starting to
wonder if my daughter wouldn't benefit from the same
things in her diet too. LOL Does anyone know if Omega 3
is good for sassiness? All joking aside; most Autistic kids
struggle with GI issues at various points of their lives.
Will had terrible issues & things just seemed to run out
of him. Not now!!! He's even getting back to normal for
that kind of stuff again too which wasn't ever a problem
prior to his vaccination injury. The smell is terrible but
I'm attributing it to the fact that his system is flushing
the toxins out and if it wasn't bad for him then it wouldn't
smell so bad either.
Its a beautiful day!
Friday, April 24, 2009
I asked for some feedback from some people & someone told me
they felt my blog was negative. Our William is a blessing Autism
or not. He's taught me patience & perseverance while also raising
me up to a higher level than I ever thought possible for myself.
Its been 2 years since Will was diagnosed but I won't deny that
I didn't feel discouraged, scared, unprepared, guilty (like I did
something wrong or ate the wrong thing) at first. I was nervous
that I wasn't a strong enough person to raise a Special Needs
Child. I'm okay with saying that out loud.
I'm not perfect and its not always easy guiding our son through
this journey but God has entrusted this Angel to me & I will do
all I can for as long as it takes. I'm thankful each day that I've
met the kind, generous, experienced fellow warriors that I have
already. They bolster me up & renew my faith in the possibilities.
Upon Will's diagnosis, my husband & I went through our
individual struggles with wrapping our minds around what it
meant for Will & our family as a whole. I don't think there's
anything wrong with admitting your true feelings so that
others can better understand that how they're feeling is also
okay & acceptable. I've never been one of those moms that
made it seem as though there wasn't a thing I didn't love
about motherhood either. I'm honest. Hey you know what....
sometimes its not always fun having an audience while you
try to visit the rest room. I think that's true for most moms
& I'm okay saying that too.
Personally, I think its negative when I hear about families out
there not doing all that they can to help their kids. I read, research,
ask other parents and seek out any and all experts I can find.
I don't think its negative that I helped several parents in my
daughter's Preschool class exempt their kids from vaccinations;
or that I'm not shy about sharing our story & introducing my son
to new people so we can help foster education & tolerance. I won't
deny either that its a concern of mine that our "typical" child will
feel left out or become too much of a caretaker as she gets older.
I try to channel her desire to help into the pursuit of a dream of
becoming a Doctor or Therapist. She vacillates between being a
Veterinarian & "an Autism Doctor". Heck maybe she could be the
Vet for a barn full of Hippotherapy horses when she grows up.
This blogging thing is all new to me but I felt like I had experienced
something people could connect with and learn from just as I have
from the more experienced parents of Autistic & "typical" children.
We've started trying more biomedical interventions to go along with
PECS, OT, PT and Speech. If funds were unlimited then we'd be
doing Hippotherapy, B12 shots, HBOT, GFCF diets, etc. Funds
are limited but we're also working on that and Will is going to have
what he needs.
I hope you'll come back again as I share Will's story with you &
let you see what works for our family. Maybe another family
could also be helped in the process too.
they felt my blog was negative. Our William is a blessing Autism
or not. He's taught me patience & perseverance while also raising
me up to a higher level than I ever thought possible for myself.
Its been 2 years since Will was diagnosed but I won't deny that
I didn't feel discouraged, scared, unprepared, guilty (like I did
something wrong or ate the wrong thing) at first. I was nervous
that I wasn't a strong enough person to raise a Special Needs
Child. I'm okay with saying that out loud.
I'm not perfect and its not always easy guiding our son through
this journey but God has entrusted this Angel to me & I will do
all I can for as long as it takes. I'm thankful each day that I've
met the kind, generous, experienced fellow warriors that I have
already. They bolster me up & renew my faith in the possibilities.
Upon Will's diagnosis, my husband & I went through our
individual struggles with wrapping our minds around what it
meant for Will & our family as a whole. I don't think there's
anything wrong with admitting your true feelings so that
others can better understand that how they're feeling is also
okay & acceptable. I've never been one of those moms that
made it seem as though there wasn't a thing I didn't love
about motherhood either. I'm honest. Hey you know what....
sometimes its not always fun having an audience while you
try to visit the rest room. I think that's true for most moms
& I'm okay saying that too.
Personally, I think its negative when I hear about families out
there not doing all that they can to help their kids. I read, research,
ask other parents and seek out any and all experts I can find.
I don't think its negative that I helped several parents in my
daughter's Preschool class exempt their kids from vaccinations;
or that I'm not shy about sharing our story & introducing my son
to new people so we can help foster education & tolerance. I won't
deny either that its a concern of mine that our "typical" child will
feel left out or become too much of a caretaker as she gets older.
I try to channel her desire to help into the pursuit of a dream of
becoming a Doctor or Therapist. She vacillates between being a
Veterinarian & "an Autism Doctor". Heck maybe she could be the
Vet for a barn full of Hippotherapy horses when she grows up.
This blogging thing is all new to me but I felt like I had experienced
something people could connect with and learn from just as I have
from the more experienced parents of Autistic & "typical" children.
We've started trying more biomedical interventions to go along with
PECS, OT, PT and Speech. If funds were unlimited then we'd be
doing Hippotherapy, B12 shots, HBOT, GFCF diets, etc. Funds
are limited but we're also working on that and Will is going to have
what he needs.
I hope you'll come back again as I share Will's story with you &
let you see what works for our family. Maybe another family
could also be helped in the process too.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
How I learned to take more things in stride.....
Sure when you're a mom you start taking alot more things in
stride as a right of passage. You get spit up on, tinkled on & you
just never know when you could have a glob of something on your
shirt or in your hair. When our kids were babies they were spotless.
If they got messy I wiped them off, changed their clothes or "spit
shined" them quickly when nobody was looking. Their little outfits
matched much of the time once we had Will.
Now that our son was vaccination injured & diagnosed with
Regressive Autism that's all gone out the window. My life used to
be much more Martha Stewart"ish than it is now. We had nice things
looking pretty set all around the house, framed photos, beautiful live
plants flourished and things were so organized. Our beds were made
& laundry all folded nicely in everyone's drawers.
Will is the anti-organizer. If I fold it, he unfolds it. If I make the
bed he messes it up over & over.....he loves that game. I find
Geotrax guys buried in my plants after I drag Will & our cat out
of them. There used to be a day when I would not let people in my
house if the dishes weren't done. At this point my feeling is love
me mess & all. I know it makes my mom & my sister uneasy when
they see it. My husband still remembers the Martha Stewart days
& believes in his heart they'll come back.
Martha does struggle to get back in the door for every holiday
but the anti-organizer arrives & then it gets interesting. LOL Will
likes to undecorate the Christmas tree as fast as we decorate it. I
think so far one of my favorite mommy moments with him is seeing
his chubby cheeks stuffed full of Christmas cookies and hands covered
in icing as he helped himself to a snack and danced to the Christmas
carols his sister loves to listen to year round.
The best part about learning to take things in stride is the
realization that my kids will only be little for such a short time.
They won't remember if the house was spotless, their hair neatly
brushed or the laundry Clorox clean; they'll remember if I played
with them. My daughter loves to have me tell her Princess tales & my
handsome son loves it when I crazy dance with him. The belly laughs
I hear from him as I spin him fast make all the sleepless nights &
worrying about him all worth it. Feeling my daughter's tiny hand in
mine as we walk along "finding nature" will warm my heart on all of
those evenings she's not speaking to me as a teenager.
stride as a right of passage. You get spit up on, tinkled on & you
just never know when you could have a glob of something on your
shirt or in your hair. When our kids were babies they were spotless.
If they got messy I wiped them off, changed their clothes or "spit
shined" them quickly when nobody was looking. Their little outfits
matched much of the time once we had Will.
Now that our son was vaccination injured & diagnosed with
Regressive Autism that's all gone out the window. My life used to
be much more Martha Stewart"ish than it is now. We had nice things
looking pretty set all around the house, framed photos, beautiful live
plants flourished and things were so organized. Our beds were made
& laundry all folded nicely in everyone's drawers.
Will is the anti-organizer. If I fold it, he unfolds it. If I make the
bed he messes it up over & over.....he loves that game. I find
Geotrax guys buried in my plants after I drag Will & our cat out
of them. There used to be a day when I would not let people in my
house if the dishes weren't done. At this point my feeling is love
me mess & all. I know it makes my mom & my sister uneasy when
they see it. My husband still remembers the Martha Stewart days
& believes in his heart they'll come back.
Martha does struggle to get back in the door for every holiday
but the anti-organizer arrives & then it gets interesting. LOL Will
likes to undecorate the Christmas tree as fast as we decorate it. I
think so far one of my favorite mommy moments with him is seeing
his chubby cheeks stuffed full of Christmas cookies and hands covered
in icing as he helped himself to a snack and danced to the Christmas
carols his sister loves to listen to year round.
The best part about learning to take things in stride is the
realization that my kids will only be little for such a short time.
They won't remember if the house was spotless, their hair neatly
brushed or the laundry Clorox clean; they'll remember if I played
with them. My daughter loves to have me tell her Princess tales & my
handsome son loves it when I crazy dance with him. The belly laughs
I hear from him as I spin him fast make all the sleepless nights &
worrying about him all worth it. Feeling my daughter's tiny hand in
mine as we walk along "finding nature" will warm my heart on all of
those evenings she's not speaking to me as a teenager.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Hi....I'm new here.
I've been cautious about blogging until now. I was worried I
wouldn't be funny enough, informative enough or interesting
enough. Then I decided what the heck I have nothing to lose
and a lot of the stuff that happens in our everyday lives is
pretty funny sometimes.
We have had days when our son wouldn't keep his clothes on
and we'd see a naked little white butt streaking through the
living room. Or he'd be climbing the grids in our old divided
light windows while naked......did I mention it was an 11X15
window on the front of our house and we used to live on the
corner so everyone could see him coming and going. LOL I'm
sure our neighbors would tell people to take a left at the naked
boy in the window on the yellow house while giving directions.
We would just laugh to ourselves after signing for no and putting
his clothes back on again. It’s never boring!!! Especially those
days that he digs in my plants, tries to escape the house or
flushes the potty 20 times an hour now that he's finally potty
training.
Then, I have my days like yesterday when my son melted down
in the Orthopedist's waiting room as the reception staff complained
about the noise & some mom of "typical" kids glared at me. Trust
me if I could have gotten him to stop head butting me, pinching me
or screaming I would have done it. Thankfully my husband was able
to join us at the doctor's appointment & helped me get him settled
down. I did wish for one of those scrolling LED displays above my
head that said sorry he has a difficult time waiting 2 hours in a
waiting room now that he has Regressive Autism after being
vaccination injured by the MMR.
I'm sure prior to having my own kids I passed a judgmental glance
or two myself. I just want to offer any of those parents where ever
they are now my apologies just in case they were walking a mile in
my shoes before I ever even filled them. Its all of those pioneers
that haven't given up and haven't stopped looking for something
that can help our kids that have made it better for kids like mine
now as a Preschooler. I applaud all of you parents for not giving up!!
I know its not easy & you often sacrifice all that you are for your
children. Thank you.
wouldn't be funny enough, informative enough or interesting
enough. Then I decided what the heck I have nothing to lose
and a lot of the stuff that happens in our everyday lives is
pretty funny sometimes.
We have had days when our son wouldn't keep his clothes on
and we'd see a naked little white butt streaking through the
living room. Or he'd be climbing the grids in our old divided
light windows while naked......did I mention it was an 11X15
window on the front of our house and we used to live on the
corner so everyone could see him coming and going. LOL I'm
sure our neighbors would tell people to take a left at the naked
boy in the window on the yellow house while giving directions.
We would just laugh to ourselves after signing for no and putting
his clothes back on again. It’s never boring!!! Especially those
days that he digs in my plants, tries to escape the house or
flushes the potty 20 times an hour now that he's finally potty
training.
Then, I have my days like yesterday when my son melted down
in the Orthopedist's waiting room as the reception staff complained
about the noise & some mom of "typical" kids glared at me. Trust
me if I could have gotten him to stop head butting me, pinching me
or screaming I would have done it. Thankfully my husband was able
to join us at the doctor's appointment & helped me get him settled
down. I did wish for one of those scrolling LED displays above my
head that said sorry he has a difficult time waiting 2 hours in a
waiting room now that he has Regressive Autism after being
vaccination injured by the MMR.
I'm sure prior to having my own kids I passed a judgmental glance
or two myself. I just want to offer any of those parents where ever
they are now my apologies just in case they were walking a mile in
my shoes before I ever even filled them. Its all of those pioneers
that haven't given up and haven't stopped looking for something
that can help our kids that have made it better for kids like mine
now as a Preschooler. I applaud all of you parents for not giving up!!
I know its not easy & you often sacrifice all that you are for your
children. Thank you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)