Archive for December 2020
Christmas Day 2020
I have really great kids. I’m not sure if I say that enough. But this morning reminded me how lovely these three boys truly are. We had the best morning. Cooper starting asking me three months ago for 4 movies about Toy Trains. A series. They are the preview on all of his current train movies. And how does a nonverbal kiddo ask specifically for four movies? Well, he uses his iPad to take photos of the advertisement. His iPad is linked to my iPhone. Every day I have to…
Read MoreMerry Christmas Eve
Merry Christmas Eve from our family to yours. Took 50 outtakes to get a good one! You can’t tell but this was a high stress moment for Coops. We are all counting down the minutes until bedtime and SANTA! Also, check out Jamie’s jammies. I ordered them for Cooper for his birthday and must have clicked the wrong size. No worries though. They fit dad! He was thrilled I promise. Although he did say let’s never speak of these again. Time to wrap presents! Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe,…
Read MoreMy Holiday Buddy
Our Christmas in photos… This is Sawyer. He is 7. His birthday is in 26 days. We are counting down. He is 2 years younger than his brother Cooper but in so many ways he is the older brother. He is a protector. An advocate. He is patient and loving. And exasperating and exhausting. They fight like cats and dogs during the day and sleep in the same bed every night. He is also my buddy when it comes to anything and everything holiday. We just finished making cookies for…
Read MoreA Christmas Gift
Our Christmas in photos…For as long as I’ve known my son, trying anything new or different has been a no. I have pictures to prove that at one time he tried foods sorta willingly. An adorable blonde haired baby covered head to toe in spaghetti sauce, the high chair tray speckled with some green vegetable. But one day that all stopped. Almost seemingly overnight. He would scream and cry at the sight of an apple or an egg. All but 5 foods were pushed away in anger. Substitutions were not…
Read MoreWaiting for the Magic
Our Christmas in photos… Cooper is a concrete thinker. He sees, therefore it is. Abstract thoughts are harder for him to grasp and understand. Like time. Danger. Things you can’t see or feel. Magic. He’s also a yes man. So anything you ask him…he will ultimately say yes. And while many times the correct answer is yes…often it’s not. Like when I ask him and his younger brothers incriminating questions. ‘Did you make this mess Cooper?’ The answer is always yes. Even when I know for a certain that his…
Read MoreComing May 2021
Baby girl Swenson joining her army of superhero brothers in May 2021! She’s going to be one loved little girl. I’m so excited with how these photos turned out! Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow…
Read MoreTwo Sleeps
I check on my three boys every single night before I go to bed. I make sure they are breathing and covered up and safe. I’m pretty sure every mom does that. I even sometimes wonder at what age I will stop doing so… Anyhow, last night, I was positive this one was sound asleep as I bent down to kiss his perfect cheeks. As my lips made contact, he opened both eyes, but didn’t make a sound. What he did do was lift up his hand and wave his…
Read MoreChristmas in 2020
A few weeks our Christmas tree fell over. Jamie and I were sitting in silence after putting the kids to bed, when out of the blue the tree fell over. We lost the star. And most of the ornaments. The needles went everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Candy canes smashed and slid across the floor. Neither of us moved. I’m not lying. We just sat there. Looked up. Nodded. Looked down. And went back to our phones. Apparently a giant tree flipping over in our living room can’t phase us.…
Read MoreFocus on the Color
I want to brag on this little boy for a minute. His dad and I just finished up his yearly assessment with the state. I know every country is different when it comes to autism. Heck, states and even counties are different in the USA. Services and supports vary. Some better than others. We live in a fantastic state for disabilities. Minnesota values people with additional needs and prioritizes their independence, goals, and dreams. We are blessed to get the supports and services that we need to help our son…
Read MorePicture of Real
This morning I was rage cleaning my house and muttering under my breath about how we can’t have nice things. For anyone not familiar, rage cleaning is something that typically happens in my home on a weekend morning, after a day of chaos, where the dog becomes afraid of the vacuum and my boys hide from me. For context, I had just finished picking slime out of my living room rug. Which I felt extra frustrated by because we don’t allow slime here. But yet it appears. Next to the…
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