Posts Tagged ‘autism acceptance’
A Photo is Just a Snapshot in Time
I’ve found that someone can find fault in every photo. A paper plate, a ponytail, a pacifier, a child’s smile or weight. A women’s eyebrows or the paleness of a man’s skin. Dirty countertops and car seats, babies running around shoeless, and the amount of time a child spends on an iPad. Even a double chin or a cookie. I could keep going. A pacifier. A runny nose. Makeup. A diagnosis. Discipline. The amount of time a mother holds her baby. The length of time she breastfeeds. So much so…
Read MoreSee Our Kids
See that man on the left there? He stopped by our home today to do business with Cooper’s dad. When he walked in…Cooper gasped. And pointed. And waved. Now knowing my sweet boy, I know that he will continue to wave until said person waves back. Sometimes, people don’t notice him because he is unable to speak. Or they are busy. Or they get uncomfortable by the bigger eleven year old boy waving so intently. I’ve seen it all. So, I often gently say…‘this is Cooper and he is autistic.…
Read MoreWhy I Share Our Story
It’s about meeting the parents. That’s why I do this. Write. Share. Let people into our secret world of autism. Your son reminds me so much of my son. I found you years ago when I felt so alone. You saved me. You don’t know it…but you did. When I have a sad day your kid’s smiles bring me joy. Thank you. You showed me this would be okay. I don’t share for follows or likes. Or to be recognized. Or any other reason like that. I share because the…
Read MoreYou are Making a Difference
I don’t typically call out comments on this page, especially negative, off-the-wall ones. Because if I do, I get scolded for giving them attention, or bullying the bully, or whining. But this comment, this one had me in stitches. I shared a beautiful post the other day about my son saying ‘cars.’ It was one of the most amazing moments of my life. It received nearly 3,000 supportive comments and one negative. One. From Anne. Anne was scolding me. She looked at the post about the 11-year-old boy saying his…
Read MoreWe Touch Our Hearts
My son Cooper knows some sign language. Like many parents, when we realized that he wasn’t babbling, we dove into baby sign language. More. Yes. No. Help. Cookie. Ball. Sit. All done. Thank you. The important ones. As he got older, and his fingers and hands didn’t seem to cooperate in the way we hoped, his signs got less and less. As he aged, we turned our focus to a speech device. A computer that speaks at the touch of a button. I’m telling you this because something beautiful just…
Read MoreI Will Listen
I think a lot about what a privilege it is to be able to communicate and be understood. Probably more than the average person. Not always of course. When my son was 1 and 2 and even 3-years-old, and not babbling, I remember crying in worry on the phone to my mom and her saying…’everybody talks Katie.’ I can still here her saying it. The words providing so much comfort at first. Even my dad sneaking in…’I just know he is going to talk sweetheart.’ Well, here we are. 11-years-old…
Read MoreTakiwatanga
“I recently stumbled upon a definition of the word autism. It was different than the clinical one I was used to. The Maori word for autism is takiwatanga. Translated it means, “In one’s own time and space.” I fell in love with it. Cooper. Me. Our family. We all settled into autism in our own time and space. I used to be scared of forever. I’m not anymore. Now I am thankful. Because I get forever, with my boy.” There is so much beauty in this life. We just have…
Read MoreBorn an Advocate
I heard his little voice before I saw him. ‘Cooper. Cooper. We don’t hurt our body. We love it.’ I peeked around the corner. What I saw made me gasp. The three year old who wants to be 9 like his next older brother. Blonde hair. Bare feet. Scabbed over knees from a crash on his bike. A Paw Patrol costume half on. He was holding a Ninja Turtle in one hand. The other hand was stretched out. Holding his older brother’s hand. Cooper. He is 11 years old. And…
Read MoreThe Gift of Communication
I fell this morning. Like a legit fall. I bounced back up quick but I knew I had hurt my knee. I pulled up my pant leg and sure enough a huge bruise was already forming. I’ll also admit my ego was a bit bruised too. Falling. So embarrassing! Thankfully, no one saw me. Or so I thought. Minutes ago I heard a familiar sound coming from my son’s iPad. The Daniel Tiger episode where Miss Elaina gets hurt. I watched Cooper, sitting cross legged on the ground, move his…
Read MoreThe Story of Us
There is no better photo to share 2 days before Forever Boy is available for everyone. Because it’s a story of a boy. Of a family. Of me. And it’s about autism. But it’s so much more. It’s a story of hope. Hard work. Resilience. Dedication. Love. The story starts before Cooper was diagnosed. The beginning of us. Our marriage. Miscarriage. And then our blonde haired boy. And the confusing years. Then the hard years. Years where we couldn’t leave our house. And we didn’t sleep. And we felt alone…
Read More