Since my mom is out of town visiting the new grand-baby, I had to pick Christopher up from his after school sitter and bring him home. Within minutes he decided he didn't want to wear clothes. (I think his goal was a bath but he didn't mention that until I said it was not bath time). He has been on this kick taking off his socks and shoes. Well, today it started with the shirt. He managed to get the 2 buttons undone and pull the shirt off over his head. It wasn't smooth like someone who has been doing it a while but he did pretty good. (Mental note- let Christopher dress and undress himself). Next came the socks and shoes. He's gotten pretty good at that one. But no stopping there, down came the pants. At this point I tell him "no bath" in hopes that the diaper stays on. The diaper stays but he heads back the hallway saying bath so I use this as an opportune time to get him to go potty. He uses the potty and on goes a pull-up. (Whew- no meltdown about not getting a bath right now) Christopher spent the afternoon running around the house in a pull-up.
It's innocent today, and I'm hoping it doesn't cross environments and become a trend that turns into a problem. His IEP is next week so wouldn't it be great to have to address "Christopher has started stripping in class...."
Walk 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
He said what?
Communication is a huge hurdle to jump. When Christopher was 1 1/2 he had no words and did not babble. I always joked before he was born that he wouldn't talk because with his sister around, he'd never get a word in. He was diagnosed just before his second birthday and communication was non-existent. After the diagnosis, we finally started with PECS and Signing Time videos. PECS taught him to communicate but I think the bigger skill was learning that he had a way to get something he wanted. Christopher has never been a fussy child. He's always been very happy and would just go with the flow of things. PECS began that exchange process. He says something, he gets something and after a short time it began to click. He also learned a lot from the videos. I would have to watch the video and try to figure out what he was signing. The signs aren't always perfect but may be approximations. Over time, he has fluctuated between the frequency of each use. We probably use signs the most currently. He tries to say a lot of things.
Christopher has really taken to singing songs. I can't understand the words but he gets the melody enough to know what he is singing. I'm not sure what he is doing as far as speech development. I can't pin point sound or syllable replacement and I'm looking forward to the speech therapist's evaluation. He will just babble away at times. Sometimes I know he is trying to tell me something but it is just the same sounds over and over.
I have toyed with the idea of getting the IPOD Touch or another system and getting a communication program downloaded but I have hesitated because the speech has been coming slowly.
Christopher has really taken to singing songs. I can't understand the words but he gets the melody enough to know what he is singing. I'm not sure what he is doing as far as speech development. I can't pin point sound or syllable replacement and I'm looking forward to the speech therapist's evaluation. He will just babble away at times. Sometimes I know he is trying to tell me something but it is just the same sounds over and over.
I have toyed with the idea of getting the IPOD Touch or another system and getting a communication program downloaded but I have hesitated because the speech has been coming slowly.
Back on the Wagon
It has been back to real life this week. We survived the rest of the Easter Weekend and had to get back into the routine of things. Allison headed back to school on Monday and Christopher back on Tuesday. Where have the days gone when I could sleep until the kids started to move? I started a second job this week. It will normally be a every other weekend over night gig but this week and the next couple are about training. I had to be in Hagerstown by 7:45 on Monday morning! Oh My! I'm barely functional by then and had to plan for an hour drive. I left before the kids were up that morning. The rest of the week hasn't been as rough but I got into the habit of gettin up and getting ready.
On Sunday I realized our AC wasn't acting quite right and it was definately messed up by Monday. So we had a couple of nights without AC. It wasn't horrible but Christopher didn't sleep well and Allison complained the first night. We got it fixed yesterday with the push of a magic button and a warning from the AC guy to replace the filter MONTHLY! Unfortunately with the the extra heat, Christopher started coming in our room to sleep at night. I hoped and prayed he would sleep through the night last night since the AC was fixed and the house was comfortable but Oh No, at 4 am here comes the pitter patter. That's not so bad but he was awake and wiggly. He didn't go back to sleep right away like usual. He finally nodded off and I had to wake him this morning for school.
We have had a break-through with bath time. The last couple of baths I gave him, he has been able to follow the direction to put his head back. He still isn't the easiest but it is a whole lot easier. He's also hit this barefoot thing. Within minutes of walking in the door, he's got his shoes and socks off. It started on the van when he had to wait for his turn to get off when they got to the school. He's done it a couple of times when we were sitting in the car waiting. I'm not sure why. I have been thinking he's probably coming due for some new shoes.
Lots of different thoughts are rushing as I watch him play and interact but I'll save those for another time.
On Sunday I realized our AC wasn't acting quite right and it was definately messed up by Monday. So we had a couple of nights without AC. It wasn't horrible but Christopher didn't sleep well and Allison complained the first night. We got it fixed yesterday with the push of a magic button and a warning from the AC guy to replace the filter MONTHLY! Unfortunately with the the extra heat, Christopher started coming in our room to sleep at night. I hoped and prayed he would sleep through the night last night since the AC was fixed and the house was comfortable but Oh No, at 4 am here comes the pitter patter. That's not so bad but he was awake and wiggly. He didn't go back to sleep right away like usual. He finally nodded off and I had to wake him this morning for school.
We have had a break-through with bath time. The last couple of baths I gave him, he has been able to follow the direction to put his head back. He still isn't the easiest but it is a whole lot easier. He's also hit this barefoot thing. Within minutes of walking in the door, he's got his shoes and socks off. It started on the van when he had to wait for his turn to get off when they got to the school. He's done it a couple of times when we were sitting in the car waiting. I'm not sure why. I have been thinking he's probably coming due for some new shoes.
Lots of different thoughts are rushing as I watch him play and interact but I'll save those for another time.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Busy Busy Busy
I am exhausted! It has been a busy week and it still isn't over. Mom and I took the kids to the zoo on Thursday. Spring Break is officially the worst time to go to the zoo! The parking lots were full when we arrived so we ended up parking several blocks away and walked in. It wasn't so bad until it was time to leave and we had been walking for hours and had to go to the car which was parked 3-4 blocks uphill. The zoo is still pretty crappy. It seems like there are not a lot of animals on display and those that are were extremely crowded. A couple of the main areas are still closed for construction/improvements. We left D.C. just in time for rush hour but was lucky enough to stop partway down the road to hang out at the hospital for a couple of hours. The kids got to meet their new baby cousin. Christopher said "hi baby" to the baby a couple of times. We were pretty late getting home, but the kids slept most of the way and went right to bed (and most importantly, slept in).
We had to pick up my sister and her friends from a three day hike in Harper's Ferry. It started out decent, just a little cool. But when we took the bus from the parking area to the historical area it started to rain. We stopped in a couple of areas, met up with the hiking team and headed out. Poor Christopher was freezing from the drizzle and cold. We got home pretty early and I put both kids in their rooms to nap. Neither one went to sleep but Christopher played in his room, by himself for almost 2 hours!
My mom has a busy day of Easter activities planned for us for tomorrow. A local church is doing an egghunt and other activities in the morning and then we'll have an egghunt at the house. Sunday will be Easter lunch and another egghunt at an Aunt's house.
Kids return to school next week and we'll have to abide by a schedule again.
We had to pick up my sister and her friends from a three day hike in Harper's Ferry. It started out decent, just a little cool. But when we took the bus from the parking area to the historical area it started to rain. We stopped in a couple of areas, met up with the hiking team and headed out. Poor Christopher was freezing from the drizzle and cold. We got home pretty early and I put both kids in their rooms to nap. Neither one went to sleep but Christopher played in his room, by himself for almost 2 hours!
My mom has a busy day of Easter activities planned for us for tomorrow. A local church is doing an egghunt and other activities in the morning and then we'll have an egghunt at the house. Sunday will be Easter lunch and another egghunt at an Aunt's house.
Kids return to school next week and we'll have to abide by a schedule again.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Don't Worry, Be Happy
My church and work have been great assets to me in regards to dealing with Christopher's diagnosis. We also have a supportive network of family and friends but I'm not sure I would be as comfortable as I am without our outside networks. I do consider most of the people I work with as friends. When we have activities outside of work it is the work friends that I tend to invite. Church is also an asset because we do attend regularly and people genuinely want to know how Christopher is doing. (I had numerous posts of support on my facebook page regarding Christopher yelling out during church service this week). Everyone reminds me that he is only 3 and the behaviors that he exhibits is not really that much out of the ordinary.
We had a sermon a couple of weeks ago titled "Don't Worry Be Happy". Easier said than done. I worry all of the time about Christopher's future. I am trying to do better and take it one day at a time. Christopher is talking more and a lot of it is gibberish that I can't understand and I wonder if he will still be talking gibberish at 5 or 6 years old. What am I going to do when we're someplace and he is too big for me pick up and take where I want him to go? I have almost dropped this child more times than I could count because of how he uses his body to push away from me. I am still feeling the stress from yesterday's battle in my back and shoulders. What happens when he is too big to "man-handle"? I worry about his educational future. Will he still be in Special Education when he gets to Kindergarten? How many fights will I have with the school system about his education? Will he graduate with a regular diploma and go to college? Get married? Have kids? Will he be happy? Will he be a burden to Allison or other family?
Every time I hear about another child being diagnosed or being suspected of an Autism related disorder, my heart breaks for them. I try to be supportive and let them know the ins and outs of the diagnosis. I am happy to be a support to them and in helping them, I am helping myself. It is never a drainage on me and I want to know how everyone is doing. I do feel bad at times when my child is making more success than another child. It can be hard to brag on your child when you know the person you are talking to is in a rough patch. I hope that I am able to show how happy I am for someone else when they have made progress even if I am in a more negative spot.
My work has become increasingly difficult. I work with a lot of people with Autism and it is almost impossible to not bring myself into the work. It has helped build rapport because they know I understand but that is not what I am there for. I am going to school to become a teacher and even though the thought of teaching special ed has become more tempting I continuously remind myself (and my friends remind me too) that it would not be a good idea.
Overall, I'm trying to not worry and be happy. I'm trying to take each day in stride and concentrate on the successes.
We had a sermon a couple of weeks ago titled "Don't Worry Be Happy". Easier said than done. I worry all of the time about Christopher's future. I am trying to do better and take it one day at a time. Christopher is talking more and a lot of it is gibberish that I can't understand and I wonder if he will still be talking gibberish at 5 or 6 years old. What am I going to do when we're someplace and he is too big for me pick up and take where I want him to go? I have almost dropped this child more times than I could count because of how he uses his body to push away from me. I am still feeling the stress from yesterday's battle in my back and shoulders. What happens when he is too big to "man-handle"? I worry about his educational future. Will he still be in Special Education when he gets to Kindergarten? How many fights will I have with the school system about his education? Will he graduate with a regular diploma and go to college? Get married? Have kids? Will he be happy? Will he be a burden to Allison or other family?
Every time I hear about another child being diagnosed or being suspected of an Autism related disorder, my heart breaks for them. I try to be supportive and let them know the ins and outs of the diagnosis. I am happy to be a support to them and in helping them, I am helping myself. It is never a drainage on me and I want to know how everyone is doing. I do feel bad at times when my child is making more success than another child. It can be hard to brag on your child when you know the person you are talking to is in a rough patch. I hope that I am able to show how happy I am for someone else when they have made progress even if I am in a more negative spot.
My work has become increasingly difficult. I work with a lot of people with Autism and it is almost impossible to not bring myself into the work. It has helped build rapport because they know I understand but that is not what I am there for. I am going to school to become a teacher and even though the thought of teaching special ed has become more tempting I continuously remind myself (and my friends remind me too) that it would not be a good idea.
Overall, I'm trying to not worry and be happy. I'm trying to take each day in stride and concentrate on the successes.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Hallelujah and Amen!
Today was a particularly trying day. We had transportation issues this morning so Danny opted to stay home and get some of the mowing done. Mom had class so she headed to church early and I brought up the tail with the two kids. We were a little late arriving so Christopher didn't get to run up the front to see Aunt Lisa and then go to class. Christopher decided he was not going to go to class this morning. After chasing him in the foyer for a little while we went into the sanctuary for music. The first song ended and Christopher let out a "yay" and clapped. Let me qualify this with saying our service is a contemporary service and some people will raise their hands but we don't typically have the out loud "hallelujahs and amens". I'm not saying this is good or bad, it's just how we are. So the song ends, there is silence and Christopher yells from the back, Yay!. The back part of the church turns to see who it is (and they are all smiling) and a few other people join in with the clapping! Soon there is a nice applause going. We make our way to some seats (next to his sitter), I'm hoping she will be a help to keep him calm, but oh-no, I'm fighting with him to stay still. The sitter did try to help me, but Christopher was just too wound up. At the end of every song, Christopher let out a "yay" and clapped. I took him back out after singing was over and managed to get him to stay in class, the teacher bribed him with a cupcake, so I coud get in for the rest of the service.
After taking Allison to her tumbling class and sitting on the mat to watch, I could barely move. I get home and I'm walking like an old lady (no offense to anyone). I go lay down for a while and later in pops Christopher, "hello mommy" and he treats me like a slide when I bend my legs. My back is feeling better but I can still feel it in my shoulders. So Hallelujah and Amen, I wrestled with a bear today and survived. I really hope he sleeps in some tomorrow.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I can't just pick him up and lug him where I need him to go.
After taking Allison to her tumbling class and sitting on the mat to watch, I could barely move. I get home and I'm walking like an old lady (no offense to anyone). I go lay down for a while and later in pops Christopher, "hello mommy" and he treats me like a slide when I bend my legs. My back is feeling better but I can still feel it in my shoulders. So Hallelujah and Amen, I wrestled with a bear today and survived. I really hope he sleeps in some tomorrow.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do when I can't just pick him up and lug him where I need him to go.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Airplanes, Pointing and No!
There was a time when Christopher was oblivious to his surroundings. Early signs of Autism includes not pointing and not following a point. We had to physically put the object in Christopher's hands for him to notice it. We were outside yesterday and he looked up and said airplane. He is able to point at things and follow a point (mostly). There are even occasions he will bring us stuff he is interested in, such as looking at a book.
One of the cutest things he started doing has to do with "no". Sometimes I have to prompt him by asking a question and saying "yes or no" at the end of it. Other times, Christopher is quick to say "no" and if you don't pay attention to his answer, you may get the verbalization with a sign or even a trip to the PECS book where he has a "No" card. I wasn't sure how the "Yes" and "No" cards were going to work but he's made it work. There are other cards he still ignores but I keep them available for him.
One of the cutest things he started doing has to do with "no". Sometimes I have to prompt him by asking a question and saying "yes or no" at the end of it. Other times, Christopher is quick to say "no" and if you don't pay attention to his answer, you may get the verbalization with a sign or even a trip to the PECS book where he has a "No" card. I wasn't sure how the "Yes" and "No" cards were going to work but he's made it work. There are other cards he still ignores but I keep them available for him.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
ROY G. BIV
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple....okay so its not Indigo, Violet, but this was Christopher's phrase this morning. I'm guessing it came from some cartoon but it would have to be something he recalled from at least the night before. We also got to see some rare pretend play this morning. Christopher found his doctor kit this morning and checked out my ears and heart. This may not be a big deal for most people but pretend play is something that we've been working on for a long time.
On the surface, Christopher looks like he is doing really well and he is. One of the biggest problems with working with Autism, is making sure there are no gaps in development. Kids learn things in a certain order to build upon skills and it can be difficult to make sure skills are met when you have a three year old working on 1 1/2 year old skills. Probably one of the most frustrating things and the hardest to keep from doing is comparing to other kids your child's age.
Christopher received an early diagnosis compared to other kids. When I think about the reasons for going for a diagnosis it wasn't to give Christopher a label, it was to give this "illness" a name. If you go to the doctor and find out you have a cold, the flu or cancer; you have given your illness a name and know how to battle it. In order to know how to fight the monster that was hindering Christopher's development we had to give it a name. Once we understood what we were fighting against, we were able to go after it head on. If you have cancer and treat it like the flu, the cancer is going to win in the end. Even if something happens and a doctor determines it isn't Autism but was Sensory Integration Disorder or some other disorder that doesn't have a name yet, there have been no interventions we have used that have caused harm. The interventions have only helped to open some doors to him.
In the end, it is the Roy G. Biv moments that keep me going strong and always wondering what the future has in store for us.
On the surface, Christopher looks like he is doing really well and he is. One of the biggest problems with working with Autism, is making sure there are no gaps in development. Kids learn things in a certain order to build upon skills and it can be difficult to make sure skills are met when you have a three year old working on 1 1/2 year old skills. Probably one of the most frustrating things and the hardest to keep from doing is comparing to other kids your child's age.
Christopher received an early diagnosis compared to other kids. When I think about the reasons for going for a diagnosis it wasn't to give Christopher a label, it was to give this "illness" a name. If you go to the doctor and find out you have a cold, the flu or cancer; you have given your illness a name and know how to battle it. In order to know how to fight the monster that was hindering Christopher's development we had to give it a name. Once we understood what we were fighting against, we were able to go after it head on. If you have cancer and treat it like the flu, the cancer is going to win in the end. Even if something happens and a doctor determines it isn't Autism but was Sensory Integration Disorder or some other disorder that doesn't have a name yet, there have been no interventions we have used that have caused harm. The interventions have only helped to open some doors to him.
In the end, it is the Roy G. Biv moments that keep me going strong and always wondering what the future has in store for us.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Collateral Damage
There can be a lot of collateral damage when there is a special needs child in the family. Often times, siblings are forced to grow up faster and put things aside because of their sibling. Resentment can grow between the children, between the parents and even between the parent and child. There can be so much added stress on the family that can result in the family separating.
Our goal has always been to give Allison her individual time and to pursue her activities. The last couple of days have been spent doing just that. She got some extra Mommy-Daughter time yesterday with tumbling class and then a trip to the mall to buy some shoes and get some ice cream. I took her to Girl Scouts tonight even though I didn't really feel like it. She had a blast. Danny or my mom keeps Christopher so she doesn't have to share this time with her brother. I try to keep her time for just her. When I have Christopher along, I have a lot more anxiety and usually want to get done and out of there.
When Christopher was receiving Birth to Three services it was difficult on Allison. I would send her down to my mom's, outside, or to her room to play because she wanted to be in the middle of everything. I tried to do things when she was at school or had other activities. I would explain that she went to school and this was like Christopher's school, but through her eyes, Christopher got to play with some neat toys and she wasn't allowed. Since he graduated and started pre-school that has been easier. She asks about his school and wants to visit but he only has school when she does too.
Allison has been a great helper and she might be growing up a little faster than she would have otherwise but she is fulfilling her role of big sister. I think that would have happened Autism or not. They are able to go outside and play and she will help keep an eye on Christopher. She can turn his cartoons on the television and play Nintendo DS with him. And like any big sister would, she gets aggrevated when he comes in her room and its not under her terms. And if anything gets lost or broken, Christopher did it.
Our goal has always been to give Allison her individual time and to pursue her activities. The last couple of days have been spent doing just that. She got some extra Mommy-Daughter time yesterday with tumbling class and then a trip to the mall to buy some shoes and get some ice cream. I took her to Girl Scouts tonight even though I didn't really feel like it. She had a blast. Danny or my mom keeps Christopher so she doesn't have to share this time with her brother. I try to keep her time for just her. When I have Christopher along, I have a lot more anxiety and usually want to get done and out of there.
When Christopher was receiving Birth to Three services it was difficult on Allison. I would send her down to my mom's, outside, or to her room to play because she wanted to be in the middle of everything. I tried to do things when she was at school or had other activities. I would explain that she went to school and this was like Christopher's school, but through her eyes, Christopher got to play with some neat toys and she wasn't allowed. Since he graduated and started pre-school that has been easier. She asks about his school and wants to visit but he only has school when she does too.
Allison has been a great helper and she might be growing up a little faster than she would have otherwise but she is fulfilling her role of big sister. I think that would have happened Autism or not. They are able to go outside and play and she will help keep an eye on Christopher. She can turn his cartoons on the television and play Nintendo DS with him. And like any big sister would, she gets aggrevated when he comes in her room and its not under her terms. And if anything gets lost or broken, Christopher did it.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Baths and Haircuts
There are two things I hate dealing with when it comes to Christopher. Those are baths and haircuts. Baths have always been a source of trouble for us. Christopher had tubes put in his ears in August 2009 so I had to be extra careful when washing his hair and not just dump the water over his head. Still at 3+years old, Christopher doesn't understand holding his head back so I can get him rinsed. It takes extra long for me to give his bath. Danny does better with him so I try to con him into doing it whenever possible.
Baths also used to be a big behavior problem for us. Christopher thought he should have a bath every night and it should be when he wanted to have it. We had several meltdowns over not getting a bath that we had to work through. I remember once, I told him we were going to Mammaw's (within walking distance) to get him out of the house and past the meltdown. We have had other meltdown causes but I'm sure they will come up later. We don't have meltdowns anymore for that reason but baths continue to be a good motivator when I'm ready to come home.
The other time I hate is haircuts. This only comes to mind because he is past due for a trim. I always tell the stylist that a bad haircut is okay. He moves and cries and is very difficult. I usually get Mammaw to go along to hold him in the chair and then I hold his head still and hope no one gets cut in the process. It's the only time I wish he were a girl and then I could just let his hair grow long.
Another area a lot of parents have difficulty with is nail trimming, but we are fortunate in that area. Christopher will sit still and watch me trim his nails
PS- Christopher just won a battle with Danny over the TV. No more The Stand, Wonder Pets is on (at least until bedtime in another 40 minutes). Amazing what a sad crying face can do and a whole lot of spluttering that sounded a lot like "mean daddy"
Baths also used to be a big behavior problem for us. Christopher thought he should have a bath every night and it should be when he wanted to have it. We had several meltdowns over not getting a bath that we had to work through. I remember once, I told him we were going to Mammaw's (within walking distance) to get him out of the house and past the meltdown. We have had other meltdown causes but I'm sure they will come up later. We don't have meltdowns anymore for that reason but baths continue to be a good motivator when I'm ready to come home.
The other time I hate is haircuts. This only comes to mind because he is past due for a trim. I always tell the stylist that a bad haircut is okay. He moves and cries and is very difficult. I usually get Mammaw to go along to hold him in the chair and then I hold his head still and hope no one gets cut in the process. It's the only time I wish he were a girl and then I could just let his hair grow long.
Another area a lot of parents have difficulty with is nail trimming, but we are fortunate in that area. Christopher will sit still and watch me trim his nails
PS- Christopher just won a battle with Danny over the TV. No more The Stand, Wonder Pets is on (at least until bedtime in another 40 minutes). Amazing what a sad crying face can do and a whole lot of spluttering that sounded a lot like "mean daddy"
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Autism Walk 2011
We had our walk today in Cumberland, Maryland. The weather was manageable but cool and cloudy. Even on such a dreary day, everyone was in a good mood and their was a good crowd. The kids had a lot of fun and everyone loved our shirts. It was great having family and friends involved.
Its great to see groups of people pull together for one cause. We walk around a circular track and there isn't a time limit or a number of laps anyone has to do. I think it would be fun to have something more in town but understand that this does keep everyone safe. The location is enclosed somewhat so I just had to look for the bright orange shirt Allison was wearing and spot her on the other end of the area. (Our orange was a good color for that purpose) I saw other kids there and could see some of the symptoms and realized how fortunate we really are. Christopher is very mild and while we have our trials, there is always someone walking a path a little tougher. I'm sure those other parents feel the same way at times. It can be so easy to get lost in ourselves and think "poor poor me" and forget about the blessings.
Part of me is glad the walk is over. Fundraising can continue throughout the rest of the year but I put my focus in before the walk. I'll start thinking about plans for next year and begin to develop formal plans around November. My goal was to have all of our money posted before the walk this year and even with the early events that didn't happen. Through the 2 fundraising events and other donations we were just under $2000 (when everything posts). I think that is pretty awesome.
Its great to see groups of people pull together for one cause. We walk around a circular track and there isn't a time limit or a number of laps anyone has to do. I think it would be fun to have something more in town but understand that this does keep everyone safe. The location is enclosed somewhat so I just had to look for the bright orange shirt Allison was wearing and spot her on the other end of the area. (Our orange was a good color for that purpose) I saw other kids there and could see some of the symptoms and realized how fortunate we really are. Christopher is very mild and while we have our trials, there is always someone walking a path a little tougher. I'm sure those other parents feel the same way at times. It can be so easy to get lost in ourselves and think "poor poor me" and forget about the blessings.
Part of me is glad the walk is over. Fundraising can continue throughout the rest of the year but I put my focus in before the walk. I'll start thinking about plans for next year and begin to develop formal plans around November. My goal was to have all of our money posted before the walk this year and even with the early events that didn't happen. Through the 2 fundraising events and other donations we were just under $2000 (when everything posts). I think that is pretty awesome.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Take it for granted
Perhaps one of the most difficult things to come to terms with are the delays that Christopher exhibits when I see other kids his age or younger doing things he can't. His biggest barrier continues to be communication. We have come a very long way and the progress is what keeps us going. As a mom, my frustration comes from my three year old not being able to say "I'm hungry" or make other simple requests. We don't have screaming fits very often but when we do and we don't know why it can be frustrating, for us and him. It usually ends in some tears and questioning but then I pick myself up and get ready for another day.
Another thing parents take for granted that are small blessings for us include hugs and kisses. Every so often we can ask for a hug and get one. Sometimes a hug comes in the form of some needed sensory input. (Christopher loves squeezes) But we get a hug in the end.
We can also have difficulty with changes in routine but does well overall. Christopher has his own agenda and when we disagree there may be a fit involved. We are blessed in that his fits are typically short lived and Christopher is an overall happy child. It also goes the opposite direction, when we say its time for bed (at night, not so much for naps) Christopher goes right to his bed lays down and goes to sleep (typically). I have a picture calendar on the fridge that we use to show him where he is going that day. He is cute when he looks at it, says no, and tries to change the picture. He wants to go to Mee-Maw's and not to school. It took a while to figure out why he wanted to go to church all of the time until I realized that the siding on the church kinda looked like mom's trailer. I have new pictures to print but haven't gotten to that yet.
We have had problems in the past when I've had to leave someplace because of behaviors. Halloween was difficult last year when I took both kids on my own to the mall and it was super crowded. The long, slow moving line wasn't a help but when other kids were holding Thomas Trains or we neared the end of the mall where a little train ride was located it was dreadful. I was able to let a few people move ahead of us to get some distance between us and Thomas-boy but when we neared the riding toy, it was time to go. Unfortunately, Allison was on the losing end that night. We were all tired but if not for Christopher's behavior we would have stayed longer. She got plenty of candy but it was the need to get out of the mall RIGHT NOW that was negative for her.
I do tend to avoid doing things with both kids on my own. Usually I can talk mom into going along if it isn't something Danny would be interested in. We're debating a trip to the zoo over spring break. There is no way I'm taking that adventure on my own.
Another thing parents take for granted that are small blessings for us include hugs and kisses. Every so often we can ask for a hug and get one. Sometimes a hug comes in the form of some needed sensory input. (Christopher loves squeezes) But we get a hug in the end.
We can also have difficulty with changes in routine but does well overall. Christopher has his own agenda and when we disagree there may be a fit involved. We are blessed in that his fits are typically short lived and Christopher is an overall happy child. It also goes the opposite direction, when we say its time for bed (at night, not so much for naps) Christopher goes right to his bed lays down and goes to sleep (typically). I have a picture calendar on the fridge that we use to show him where he is going that day. He is cute when he looks at it, says no, and tries to change the picture. He wants to go to Mee-Maw's and not to school. It took a while to figure out why he wanted to go to church all of the time until I realized that the siding on the church kinda looked like mom's trailer. I have new pictures to print but haven't gotten to that yet.
We have had problems in the past when I've had to leave someplace because of behaviors. Halloween was difficult last year when I took both kids on my own to the mall and it was super crowded. The long, slow moving line wasn't a help but when other kids were holding Thomas Trains or we neared the end of the mall where a little train ride was located it was dreadful. I was able to let a few people move ahead of us to get some distance between us and Thomas-boy but when we neared the riding toy, it was time to go. Unfortunately, Allison was on the losing end that night. We were all tired but if not for Christopher's behavior we would have stayed longer. She got plenty of candy but it was the need to get out of the mall RIGHT NOW that was negative for her.
I do tend to avoid doing things with both kids on my own. Usually I can talk mom into going along if it isn't something Danny would be interested in. We're debating a trip to the zoo over spring break. There is no way I'm taking that adventure on my own.
Welcome
This blog will serve as an outlet for me to voice my frustrations and joy in a constructive manner. I love my children and I do become frustrated at times, like any mother does. Sometimes, being the parent of a child with special needs can result in a lot being held within oneself. There may be rants on occasion if it has been a particular rough day and this will also be helpful in remembering how far we have come in a short time.
Christopher was born in January 2008. He is our second child and his sister is four years older. We experienced ths normal baby stuff. Wondering why we were starting all over when we just got Allison to be pretty self-sufficient. After his first birthday, Christopher was not talking and because his sister talks so much we didn't really notice the babbling never took hold either. Around April of 2009, I really began to question his development. I am a social worker and have oodles of experience with developmental delays so I knew where to go for help. That's when WV Birth to Three came into our lives. We had a terrific team working with Christopher. (Except for the OT that I fired after a month of blah service) By December 2009, Christopher's teachers were thinking Autism so we made the 2 hour trek to University of Virginia Hospital to see a developmental pediatrician. The doctor confirmed the teachers suspicions (and ours that we had on and off since April) and gave a diagnosis of Mild-Moderate Autism.
Since the diagnosis, we have had people swear he isn't Autistic (one of the reasons the OT was fired). We had complaints about "labeling" him. And we had a lot of support from friends, family and church. I am reminded constantly that God does not give us more than we can handle and that there is a reason I was blessed with Christopher. He has made tremendous progress in the past year. Christopher began to communicate with PECS and sign language. Signing Time is excellent!!! The PECS taught Christopher about the exchange in communication. He is saying some words and phrases now. We often cannot understand what he is saying but he is talking. Christopher loves to sing and we can usually pick out from the melody what he is singing.
Christopher started pre-school after his third birthday (we lost his Birth to Three teachers then too). An amazing thing happened, he went from no idea about toileting to having an interest after the first day of school. (We ended up having several snow days, so I got to work with him on it). It has its trials still but if we manage to take him every couple of hours he will stay dry all day long!
Well, that's the highlights. I glossed over a lot but will probably point stuff out as I go along.
Christopher was born in January 2008. He is our second child and his sister is four years older. We experienced ths normal baby stuff. Wondering why we were starting all over when we just got Allison to be pretty self-sufficient. After his first birthday, Christopher was not talking and because his sister talks so much we didn't really notice the babbling never took hold either. Around April of 2009, I really began to question his development. I am a social worker and have oodles of experience with developmental delays so I knew where to go for help. That's when WV Birth to Three came into our lives. We had a terrific team working with Christopher. (Except for the OT that I fired after a month of blah service) By December 2009, Christopher's teachers were thinking Autism so we made the 2 hour trek to University of Virginia Hospital to see a developmental pediatrician. The doctor confirmed the teachers suspicions (and ours that we had on and off since April) and gave a diagnosis of Mild-Moderate Autism.
Since the diagnosis, we have had people swear he isn't Autistic (one of the reasons the OT was fired). We had complaints about "labeling" him. And we had a lot of support from friends, family and church. I am reminded constantly that God does not give us more than we can handle and that there is a reason I was blessed with Christopher. He has made tremendous progress in the past year. Christopher began to communicate with PECS and sign language. Signing Time is excellent!!! The PECS taught Christopher about the exchange in communication. He is saying some words and phrases now. We often cannot understand what he is saying but he is talking. Christopher loves to sing and we can usually pick out from the melody what he is singing.
Christopher started pre-school after his third birthday (we lost his Birth to Three teachers then too). An amazing thing happened, he went from no idea about toileting to having an interest after the first day of school. (We ended up having several snow days, so I got to work with him on it). It has its trials still but if we manage to take him every couple of hours he will stay dry all day long!
Well, that's the highlights. I glossed over a lot but will probably point stuff out as I go along.
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