Autism
Their Special Bond
This morning we were running around getting three kids ready to leave the house. Packing lunches, finding school iPads, headphones and chargers, gathering snow gear…it was a lot. We are definitely out of practice. Jamie noticed that Coops put his shoes on the wrong feet. It happens quite frequently but we are also so proud of him for putting his shoes on that we don’t mind fixing them. Sawyer, who was soaking up his last few minutes of holiday break, and zoning out watching his iPad, must have heard us.…
Read MoreThree Kinds of Special Needs Parents and the Groups we March in
In this special needs community we have lovingly cultivated, there are three kinds of people, in three very different groups. I type this only to paradigm shift anyone on the ledge of two sides. Special Needs Parents find themselves here, there, or coasting. The Gratefully Coasting Group The Gratefully Coasting Group is this: things are good, you continue with the systems and supports that are working and you look up every now and again to thank your lucky stars. The Candle Vigil Group The Candle Vigil Group is this: you…
Read MoreRaising a Child With Autism; You Are Not Alone
During the years surrounding my son’s autism diagnosis, I could barely say the word “autism” out loud. I thought I would just break down every single time and, frankly, I didn’t have time for that. To be clear, this had nothing to do with shame. Not one day has gone by that I am not immensely proud of this boy. It was about fear, worry, the unknown, and all the other bumps along the road to acceptance. All a parent could ever want is for their child to be…
Read MoreIndependence
I just had a huge mom win. I successfully bathed all three of these little monsters in the shower. Cooper first. Then Sawyer and the baby. There was so much water. So. Much. Water. It was on the walls, the ceiling, and puddled on the floor. We used 4 towels. There was an incident with a shampoo bottle and a glass of water. Boys I tell you. But all three are bathed and dressed in jammies. I feel like I moved to expert level parenting. Showering is a big deal.…
Read MoreSupport Small Business
Are you all continuing to support small business? In Minnesota, our restaurants are all still closed for in-person dining. So take out it is! Which, in our world, isn’t all that different. Eating dinner at a restaurant is still on our bucket list! Anyhow, North Pole Restaurant in Newport, MN has the best breakfast ever! All three of our boys will dive into this pancake and even ask for seconds. Keep supporting your local restaurants as much as you can! They need us! Good morning from these three! Finding Cooper’s…
Read MoreFinding the Balance
I remember when our oldest son Cooper started disliking a lot of activities. It didn’t happen overnight. More like an evolution over months. He was 18 months. And refused to go outside. He looked at the world as a foreign place. But because he was little, we could still go places. But as he aged, it became nearly impossible. Until, we couldn’t really go anywhere at all. We learned that he loves being home. He loves being warm and cozy and snuggling under 7 fuzzy blankets. He likes watching The…
Read MoreA New Year
I just spent the last 20 minutes scrolling through ten years of photos to find any photo from a New Years Eve that I could share with you. I couldn’t find one. Apparently we don’t really do NYE in this house. I did manage to find the cutest kids ever. Whew. They need to stop growing! Anyhow, this is the first photo I ever got of my boys together. Willingly sitting by each other. Cooper is 4 and Sawyer is 2. It’s my absolute favorite. Their relationship has been a…
Read MoreGoodbye 2020
What is your word for 2021? Resolutions are hard. Heck most folks don’t make it past a week. So many people are picking a word to be mindful of throughout the year. Examples include patience, peace, success, health, rise, advocacy. I’ve been thinking about mine since last night. Last year my word was joy. I of course can’t pick just one. Content: Someone will always be skinnier. Someone will always be more successful, have more followers, be a better writer, make more money. Someone’s life will always appear easier than…
Read MoreThe Lessons He Teaches us
My husband and I work very hard to teach our son Jack practical life lessons. How to make breakfast, change a light bulb, feed the dog, get the mail—stuff like that. This isn’t always easy. It requires a lot of patience, and planning. You see, Jack has autism. He is sixteen. He doesn’t like lessons. He doesn’t quite comprehend things the same way other teenagers do. He needs step-by-step instructions, and a lot of cues. He is easily distracted by loud noises, or the looping track of ideas within his mind—what…
Read MoreThe Whispers of the Past
Throughout our journey to finding your voice I have come to learn the beauty in the simplicity of a whisper. There were days where I dreamt of your voice. I’d wake in tears trying to remember every moment, the tone, your facial expressions, but as quickly as the dream came, the memory of it left forever. My days would be filled with working with you on gaining communication skills, whether they would be by verbal speech or by hand gestures. I wanted, no I needed you to be able to…
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