My sweet boy had a tough time on our walk the other day. The beginning was great. The middle had its ups and downs. But we finished strong. Which is usually how it goes for him. Good with moments of intensity mixed in. Highs and lows and middles. And then this moment. A boy of the same age helping him along. Helping him home. Smiling at Barney on his iPad. Never leaving his side. Taking him home. They are both ten. One speaks with ease. One communicates in his own…
This morning I asked my son Cooper if he wanted four or five of something. And he responded with a happy sound and five fingers thrust high in the air. I went on with what I was doing and then paused for a second. Communication. Choice. Independence. Happiness. It is the most beautiful thing. I’ve been told over the years that I want to change Cooper. That I want to make him less autistic. Ha. It’s so far from the truth. My goal as a mom has never, and never…
Happy birthday to my husband Jamie! So much to say. So little time because one kid is in the dog dish, one needs a snack, Cooper can’t find his iPad, and I’m attached to a breast pump. So I’ll just say thank you for being with me on this journey. It’s never dull. It’s never quiet. I miss you a lot…even when we are in the same room. We have our four beautiful children to blame for that. We are blessed beyond measure. I know that for certain. And maybe…
We have lots of new followers here! Welcome to our little corner of the internet. We are the dad (Jamie), the mom (Kate), and the littles. Cooper is 10. – Lover of trains. Sawyer is 8. – Protector and hockey player. Harbor is 2. – Wants to be a T-Rex. Wynnie is 3 months. – Perfect addition to our family. We talk a lot about autism over here and how our family has settled into it. We aren’t perfect and have made lots of mistakes but we do our best…
What are car rides like for your family? For ours, I would say it’s the area where we have made the most improvement over the years. Back when Cooper was just diagnosis and the word autism felt foreign on our tongues my husband and I referred to car rides H – E – Double Hockey Sticks. We didn’t shine in the car. Cooper was a screamer. And a thrower. He would get upset if we turned the wrong way. Or stopped at a stop light. We couldn’t get gas or…
My bookends. My big and my little. 10 and 3 months. I’ll tell ya this much. They don’t pay too much attention to each other. Their worlds rarely intersect. But if anything comes close to falling (or jumping) on that baby…ahem…like a toddler brother…Cooper is the first to give a holler to let me know. That’s something special if you ask me. Also, see Cooper’s treasures? The items around him? He’s loving brown and white paper right now. He has a whole stack. Those photos? They are from my trip…
I don’t know if it’s going to go away so I want to post this right now as I dance around my living room with my kids! #83! Forever Boy cracked the top 100 on Amazon! This is all you and this absolutely amazing community! Thank you so much for believing in me and our story. For following! And for ordering a preorder copy! It’s such a huge deal that a little old mom from Minnesota made it this far. I am humbled. Thank you for being with me on…
My message to Laura Clery… Your son has just been diagnosed with autism. Maybe it came as a shock. Maybe not. Maybe like me you already had an idea that something was going on. But you still felt the sting when the words were said out loud. There are so many things I want to tell you. So many important things that I feel you should know. But right now, if you were anything like I was 7 years ago, your head is spinning. You are motivated and paralyzed at…
Yesterday when I was talking about the chapters in my book, someone asked about Cooper’s relationship with his dad. And if I touched on it in my writing. The person then asked a follow up question about affection. ‘Does Cooper show affection to his dad? Has he always?’ The answer is no…he hasn’t always shown affection outwardly. Coops was more of a lone wolf when he was younger. And it was hard at times. Lonely even. We wanted so desperately to engage with our beautiful son. But his dad made…
Sawyer: Mama, I told everyone at school about your book and that they should buy it. Me: You did? That’s awesome. Wait. Do you know the title? Sawyer: Yeah. Of course I do. It’s about my brother. Me: So what’s it called? Sawyer: Cooper. Cooper’s Voice. Er. Um. Finding the Boy. Forever. Me: Yes. That’s exactly right. Nailed it. My biggest cheerleader. PS. Forever Boy is number 44 on Amazon. That’s of all the books. Like all of them. I am humbled and honored. I don’t think I can ever…
