Archive for January 2020
When the Sickness Hits
Our whole family is sick. This is the first time that I can remember every family member being sick at the same exact time. Although some seem to have more energy, strength and overall will to survive than others. Some of us take sickness in stride. Some of us do not. See, it’s usually just me and the baby. The other three have these super human immune systems that make me want to secretly cough on my husband’s pillow at night but I don’t because…the man flu. No one wins.…
Read MoreI Give You Permission to Whine
Did you know there are some women out their who never whine? Or complain? Or even say it’s hard. I never knew that. I really didn’t. So, when I stumbled across a post on Facebook bashing women for talking, or as they said whining, about the hard parts of life, I was shocked. Apparently, these so called whiners hate their kids and husbands. It was a lot to take in I a tell ya. I realized, they are probably talking about me. I talk, whine, complain, vent all the time.…
Read MoreEvery Single Day is his Best Day
Most mornings feels the same to me as the mom. Most days the same too. Kids. Work. Cooking. Cleaning. Up too early. Wondering if my son will ever learn to sleep in and if the other one will ever sleep through the night. I mentally taking note of everything that needs to happen to get the day started while praying that my husband programmed the coffee pot to brew so it’s ready when I get downstairs. Cooper is on the couch surrounded by photos of his family, owls, penguins and…
Read MoreWhen a Nonverbal Child is Sick
Have you ever wished that your child would complain? We have. We do. This sweet boy is so sick. Sicker than we originally thought. But we didn’t know. Because everyone else in our family is sick too. And everyone else has the ability to complain. ‘Mom I don’t feel good.’ ‘My head hurts.’ ‘I feel hot.’ The remedies are pretty standard. Cough drops and popsicles for sore throats. A seat by the fireplace to combat the chills. Soup and ginger ale for a sore tummy. A bed on the couch…
Read MoreI’m Not A Failure
I have to get this off my chest. This is a temporary feeling. All week… LIKE ALL WEEK. I’ve felt like a failure. Even though all week I’ve… “taken care of my daughter” “my bills are paid” “my house has food and clean clothes” and although “it’s not perfectly clean”, it’s okay enough to wait until my day off (tomorrow) to do the bigger chores. I’ve helped Gretchen, she pulled up her pajamas pants tonight. That might not seem like a big deal to most parents, but I arrived at…
Read MoreThe Goal is Independence
The other day I was talking about the future with another mama. We were new acquaintances, brought together by one common thread. Autism. Our sons were the same age. 9. Both similar. Ridiculously handsome, silly, very few words but still quite opinionated, and both very much in love with their mamas. We were talking about the beginning. Making jokes about the hard parts. Tearing up over the almost unbelievably hard parts. Then the middle part that we are in right now. The part where the pieces finally began to fall…
Read MoreTomorrow We Will Start Again
It was hard for you this morning. I have no idea why. You woke crying too early, the moon still visible. Groans and nudges before one of us got up and shuffled to your room. These are the moments we wait on your response. There are mornings, early mornings, when your smile is contagious, your eyes bright and your antics ridiculous. Those are the mornings I can smile back, fix myself a cup of coffee and take on the day like the superhero you’ve made me out to be. And…
Read MoreI Found My Voice This Year
It’s time for New Years Resolutions. I made mine mid year somehow and didn’t even know it. For years I tried to help my son find his voice and in the process I found mine. Once my son was diagnosed I lost mine I think. I just wanted to do everything right for him. I found my voice this year. It’s a loud one and one spoken with love. I stood up for myself, my son and for both of our mental health. I fought for him to have a…
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