Posts Tagged ‘autism child’
A Colorful Christmas
When I share about my son’s autism’s, my hope is that I share the endearing parts with the world. The humor and the joy. The innocence and the determination. Because autism isn’t a dirty word. Not in this house. There are so many amazing parts that make him…him. For example… Last night I dressed all three boys in their matching Christmas jammies. An hour later, only two were wearing them. Cooper’s were off. This morning as I searched for them, I had to laugh. They were gone. Like gone-gone. I…
Read MoreWho Needs Words?
I check on my three boys every single night before I go to bed. I make sure they are breathing and covered up and safe. I’m pretty sure every mom does that. I even sometimes wonder at what age I will stop doing so… Anyhow, last night, I was positive this one was sound asleep as I bent down to kiss his perfect cheeks. As my lips made contact, he opened both eyes, but didn’t make a sound. What he did do was lift up his hand and wave his…
Read MoreThat’s Autism
Here is what I will tell you. We just went to a Christmas light show. One that you walk through with music and people and wind off the lake and the smells of campfire. It was amazing. And our family was there. We did it. See, our son Cooper wanted to go so bad. He asked us to go. We wrote it on the calendar. He was excited for all 37 sleeps as we waited to go. And as the day approached. And the night before. The morning of. The…
Read MoreThank You to the Businesses that Think About the Disabled Community
Before I entered the world of autism, I was oblivious to a lot of things. I foolishly assumed that all kids went to restaurants, and used public restrooms and even transitioned from riding in a cart to walking. I didn’t know that some children are deathly afraid of automatic flushing toilets and hand dryers. I didn’t know that some parents are unable to go into gas stations or even go through drive thrus. But the biggest thing that I never even gave a second thought too…was public restrooms. It never…
Read MoreNormalizing Our World
I found myself sitting next to a woman today. I was out in the community. She has three children and seven grandkids. She lives in a big city. She is in town for Thanksgiving. Visiting family. We got to chatting. Like strangers often do when they find themselves sitting side by side. She asked me about my life. Do I have kids? Where am I from? She really wanted to talk kids. I could tell. She was a very sweet woman. Like my own mother. ‘I do! Three boys and…
Read MoreHis Beautiful Soul
Yesterday, I drove my middle son Sawyer to school. He typically rides the bus but he wanted to donate a handful of toys to the toy drive his school was holding so I drove him. ‘The toys go to Children’s Hospital mom.’ He was adamant about bringing presents. As we drove he asked me a zillion questions. As a mom, I’ve learned that some of the best conversations happen in the car. After asking me about multiplying 8’s and 9’s and something he saw on YouTube, he said, ‘mama, am…
Read MoreSpecial Needs Parenting Changes Everything
Special needs parenting changes us entirely. There is no denying that. Because the truth is — the first few years are going to pull you so far away from who you used to be that you won’t even recognize yourself anymore. You’ll find yourself looking in a mirror, bags under your eyes, either heavier, or skinnier, and not recognize yourself. It looks and feels like you’ve aged a hundred years. Or maybe you are standing in a crowded room, feeling entirely isolated and alone, and wonder if you are invisible.…
Read MoreThey Don’t Need Words
These two had it out last night. Like brothers have been known to do. It was over an iPad. There was a truck involved too. Lots of screaming and wrestling. They were eventually separated. One was put in the bath and told me the whole story, nonverbally of course. He asked for hugs and kisses as his alligator tears filled the tub. The other one, the tough guy, he didn’t need a hug or a kiss. But he did tell, and by that I mean yell, his side of the…
Read MoreHow am I Supposed to not Miss Him
I brought my son Sawyer to skate night last night. A school event at a local roller skating rink. There was pizza and music and arcade games. Kindergarten through fifth grade. Families. Siblings. So many kids. I laced up his roller blades and watched him be a little boy. Skating way too fast. Being silly. Telling stories. Playfully pushing friends. Dancing. Doing the limbo. He has a social life. Friends. He’s growing up. As I sat there watching, holding my baby tight, I was suddenly overwhelmed by all the feelings…
Read MoreNever Count These Kids Out
When covid hit, much like everyone else, our world was turned upside down. Schools closed. Jobs moved in-house. Daycare paused. We hunkered down. We all became overly familiar with Zoom. Parents began to hate snack requests. We rationed toilet paper. And one other thing happened for us. One that I would have never in all my years thought could have happened. Our mental health services for our son Cooper stopped cold. The place that never closed. Never took a sick day. Acknowledged as few holidays as possible…shut down. And to…
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