Posts by Kate Swenson
Different Isn’t Scary
Parent: I wish my autistic child could talk to me. Parent: I wish my child with autism could communicate with me. Parent: I wish I knew what my nonverbal child was thinking. Parent: I wish I knew what my child loved. Child: Listen and I will show you in the most mysterious ways. Be prepared to wait. And to listen to more than just words. My son Cooper has started taking photos with his iPad. Hundreds and hundreds a day. I know because the iPad is linked to my iPhone…
Read MoreThe Scary Parts of Honesty and Social Media
Sometimes social media makes me feel bad. Specifically Instagram. Don’t get me wrong. I love seeing adorable kids, beautiful homes, and flawless faces…but…sometimes I feel a little less than perfect. Just last night I searched the hashtag #19weekspregnant and was hoping to see baby bumps that looked like mine. I saw perfectly toned and tan women in crop tops with six packs. That’s not me. And as much as I want my 37 year old, mother of 3 body, to be perfect, right now it’s packing on weight like a…
Read MoreThe Perfect Christmas Ornament
The most beautiful ornaments are the ones that were never meant to be an ornament. Looking back we always had big family Christmas celebrations with my husband’s family, celebrating what was and is really important…having a family that loves you for who you are. My husband’s family have always been our biggest supporters, our voice when we were unable to speak, and our spine when we felt like falling. They never saw us as the family with the broken kids but as the family who was theirs and kept doing…
Read MoreChristmas is Changing
When I dreamt of Christmas with my daughter, I pictured so many things. Simple things really. Christmas movies, Christmas shopping, hot chocolate after ice skating. Sure, we can do those things but gosh they are hard or there is almost always a fall out. The timing of the fallout has changed over the years. I would like to think it is learning to tolerate the outside world or maybe its age. Christmas isn’t typically a joyful time of year around here. Christmas in general is loud and busy. Two things…
Read MoreLearning, Growing and Embracing
Last weekend I was driving myself and my three sons home from my mom’s house in Wisconsin. We had just celebrated Christmas and my SUV was packed to the brim with toys, leftovers, and love. The sky was dark as I navigated the backroads I’ve driven home for 30-some years. I remember being a little girl and dozing as my parent’s car bounced over the same bumpy roads. Only this time I was the parent, and I had two sleeping boys in the seat behind me, and one more awake…
Read MoreBrotherly Love
Last night, Sawyer had a tough time. He was overtired and overstimulated and the day just got too long for him. Christmas can be hard for little ones. When he gets like that, he doesn’t know what to do with himself. Instead of going to bed, he sat angrily in his room and yelled at anyone who dared to enter. It’s best to just let him cool off. Cooper was so confused as to why his brother wasn’t coming to bed with him though. He doesn’t understand Sawyer’s complicated emotions…
Read MoreWe are the Lucky Ones
This morning, after all the presents were opened, and the egg bake was in the oven, I sat down to drink my luke warm coffee and peek at social media. I came across a message from a women I didn’t know. She sent me a poem by Erma Bombeck. One I had read many times before. But I found myself blubbering into my coffee anyways. Huge crocodile tears running down my face. Her words came to me exactly when I needed them. And they went straight to my heart. My…
Read MoreChristmas 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…
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