Morning all, I had to share this. Kristi Rieger Campbell reading “What it Means to be a Special Needs Mom.” This is the BEST description I have ever heard about what I feel. Get ready to cry. Thank you Kristi for sharing your feelings. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phUwXFcnaL0?feature=player_detailpage&w=640&h=360]
Read MoreI made an appointment at Fraser, an Autism clinic a little over 4 months ago. It is the best place in the state of Minnesota for diagnosing Autism. When I made the appointment I thought maybe we would never really have to go. I thought maybe the quirks and rigidity would start to get better. Honestly, I made the appointment because I felt pressure from other people to do it. The appointment was 4 hours long and scheduled for July 15th. Before the appointment I completed a book of paperwork as well…
Read MoreI’ve noticed that when I get sad about something Cooper related I will miss things. Subtle improvements. I feel like my Cooper emotions are on a cycle. Something will make me sad, I’ll be down for a few days and then one of the boys will remind me how great they are and I’ll dig out. It’s a god damn roller coaster. And yes, my sads are less sad than they used to be. That sounds funny but it’s true. I’m getting stronger and life is going on and it…
Read MoreOne of the first things I bought Cooper was a pair of sweatpants from the Gap. I bought them on clearance when I was pregnant with him right after I found out I was having a boy. They are actually a 4T. When I found them I fell in love with them instantly and had to buy them. I never, in my life, thought he would be big enough to wear them. Sure as shit, I dug out the bin of 4T clothes this weekend. I just pulled them out of the dryer…
Read MoreIt happened again this weekend. The frantic sweating. And I know every single mom out there with a kiddo like Cooper can relate. Cooper and I spent a lot of time at the beach this past weekend. When we first got there I noticed another mom who looked a lot like me. My age, blonde, 3 young boys, camping. She was me. If I had to guess I would say her boys were probably ages 7, 4 and 2. I am a super observant person and I watched this mom a lot. First,…
Read MoreI got really mad at a little girl this weekend. As I write that sentence I realize that you will probably think I’m crazy. And I even made fun of myself after. But, it is what it is. Cooper and I spent the weekend at the lake. (I have more to write about that later.) It was a great weekend. Lots of sun and beach time. My favorite. As we arrived at the beach on Friday afternoon, Cooper let me know that he wanted to swing. There were two bigger…
Read MoreI’m no expert in parenting and half the time I am holding my breath waiting for something to explode but lately, dare I say it, I feel like we’ve settled into a good routine with Super Cooper. I have worked with therapists and teachers and also got lots of amazing advice from fellow bloggers. Here is a list of things that have made our life easier. When Cooper gets stressed out we immediately do a hug, tickle or throw him up in the air. If we are home one of…
Read MoreI realized that I haven’t done an actual Cooper update in a long time. I tend to get very caught up in how I feel about all of this and often my posts take on a sad feel. And I don’t want it to be like that ALL the time. Cooper has come a long way. I know that in my heart and need to remind myself of it daily. He is adorable and so sweet and so loving. He gives and gets a million kisses a day. He enjoys…
Read MoreCoopers quirks are showing more every day. There is no more hiding behind age. He is the size of a 4-5 year old. He’s also so loud that blending in isn’t an option either. He is ALWAYS making noise and it’s loud. I am sitting here observing him as he watches his trains. He borders between pure joy and stress. He’s flapping and jumping and making nonstop noise. Think shrieking. Every change to the track or train brings very obvious stress to him. To me, there is zero FUN in…
Read MoreLast night Cooper refused to eat dinner. (What’s new, right?) There was kicking, screaming, head hitting, throwing, etc. The whole ordeal lasted a little over an hour. I got it into my head that this kid was taking one bite of pasta. And I wasn’t giving up. After the first time-out Cooper took a bite. And then pulled out the gagging. And spit it out. He shoved his plate, threw his fork, dumped out his milk, and dropped a few handfuls of pasta on the floor. I went about my…
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