Monday, March 25, 2013

The Typical Not So Typical Day

We don't often get to do things without a schedule or taking into consideration what Boy Wonder likes or will tolerate. The girlies are far too often asked to put what they want aside for their brother. Is it fair? Well no but there's a difference between fair and right. Sometimes they aren't necessarily the same thing. Last week I took the girls for their birthday pictures. Yes one of them was three months late but that's how we roll. So after the pictures, we headed to the mall to see the Easter Bunny. We've been trying to talk Sweet Baby Girl into her first haircut for months. She had up until that day that she "no needed my hair cut you silly Mommy. Haircuts are for boys." Well she said in the car, "I want my hair cut. Just a little. Like Diva gets." So I decided I'd let the housework and all the other things on the agenda for that day slide. They rarely get to pick how the day goes so off we went. First we rode the elevator (a few times cause hey we could) instead of BW's beloved escalator. Then someone was ready to be a big girl with Bunndee peeking out from under the cape for moral support.






Then they decide it was time for the Easter Bunny. He never knew what hit him.





Then we may or may not have have a Crumbs Cake Push Pop for lunch by the fountain.





Oh and in case you were wondering, Diva doesn't live here any longer but Cheddar the Bunny now lives here.


And then they were ready to go home. They had fun. As I tucked them into bed that night, Diva whispered in my ear,"Funnest Day EVER!!!" And it was for them and for me.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Glittering Glowing Gregarious Gorgeous Five





My oh my how we have changed over the last 5 years. From helpless baby to a strong, independent, funny, smart, loving, compassionate, so gorgeous you take my breath away girl. You are.........

 Glittering



            Glowing



Gregarious

Gorgeous




Five



Happy Fifth Birthday Diva! 
May you always be as happy as you are today!
We love you!!

So here's to a child
who is joyful and clever.

Happy Day. Happy Year.
 Happy Always and Ever.

~Happy Birthday Little Pookie
Sandra Boynton 


Saturday, March 9, 2013

How Was Your Day?

How was your day? You ask your kids, your spouse or significant other (if you have one). You ask a friend or a loved one who you know has something either wonderful or difficult going on.

If you have typical kids, you know the details don't come all at once. The highs and lows, the nitty gritty details come out over the course of dinner, bath time and bed time. They let the little things and big things out. We learned a new song, Mommy.  I have a new friend. George has a new baby brother. I cried because someone was mean to me. I got a time out for not listening. I didn't like my lunch. And so on and so forth. The details come out, so you get to know what they did and how they were while not being with you

I have never hid the fact that we swim in the murky deep end of the autism pool. Boy Wonder is not able to tell me how his day was, good or bad, what he did or what he learned. I can only know from what I observe of his mood, his behaviors and what ever it is he chooses to show me he has learned because the language and ability to communicate at that level is simply not there at this time. For the boy, we were told would never be able to talk; not even able to communicate the want of drink or food or to ask to use the bathroom who can now do all of these things, I do believe it is wholly possible that some day he will be able to tell me about his day.

So that's why when the yellow bus doors swing open every afternoon and I see my gorgeous boy's big smiling face I ask him, "How was your day, handsome?




Sunday, March 3, 2013

Patience







And 5 years ago when Boy Wonder was just two years old we started on the never ending toilet training road. We stumbled. We learned how to clean things. Boy Wonder learned that we knew he could do it so if he messed up, he'd be cleaning it up.  Consequences, praise, incentives, positive practice, regression and progress we've been through it all.  We decided this would be the one fight we'd never give up on. So much of his independence depends on this one life skill. And just when we were thinking when will this skill be attained, it clicked and Boy Wonder started taking himself without prompting on a consistent and regular basis.

So good things come to those who persevere. The wait and the hard work were worth it. Sometimes the long and meandering road is hard and lonely but in the end if it gets you were you need to be and you know that all your patience, hard work and love has paid off. And knowing that makes you more patient and willing to wait for the good things that come from those you love.