Posts Tagged ‘autism parenting’
What is Your Sentence?
Do you have a sentence that you say a million times a day? You say it so much it could be written on your tombstone. Here lies Kate. She is best known for ‘turn it down buddy’. Or with your last breath you say…’why are you naked?’ Because I do. As a mom to three boys I am forever asking why they don’t have pants on. And for the volume to be lowered. No one complies though. Not ever. What is yours? What sentence do you say every single day?…
Read MoreLet Me Tell You About My Son
Let me tell you about my son. His name is Maxim, but sometimes we call him Max. He has light brown hair, chocolate eyes that twinkle with mischief each time he smiles, and a laugh so big and full of joy it fills you up from the top of your head to the tips of your toes when you hear it. He loves jokes, cars, trains, and the smell of hair after it’s been shampooed. He will roar like a dinosaur to try and scare you, and call out “tickle-ish!!!”…
Read MoreEmbrace the Messy Moments
Embrace the messy moments. That would be my advice to my younger self, now that I’m older and a special needs mom. My first born son is moving out in 14 days. Today as we were cleaning out desks, I found a picture of him at the tender age of three, dressed and ready to go out with what looks like shaving cream ALL over his body. Truth is, it was lotion. Not quite as quick to clean as shaving cream. My first reaction was…
Read MoreO-O-AH-T
Last night my husband Jamie took our two older boys for a camping overnight on our boat. They are 10 and 8. One loves to fish and be outdoors and one loves watching his favorite shows on his iPad and snuggling up in a really comfortable bed with loads of blankets and temperature control. And my husband, he used to go on camping trips to really remote places in the winter in Minnesota when it was 20 degrees below zero. I called him crazy many a times. See, he adores…
Read MoreHe’s Growing Up
Kids grow up. You know that. I know that. We all know that. But when it’s your own kid, well, it seems to sneak up on you. One day you are carrying them up the stairs and the next they are wearing your shoes. Or you find yourself in the young adult section of the store shopping for their clothes and are baffled how one of your own babies could wear something so big. I once read that watching your kids grow up is like experiencing the longest breakup ever.…
Read MoreShe Won’t Break
I come across pictures all the time. Old ones. Taken back before life got really interesting with four kids. I usually find them all crumpled up under a couch or stashed in between the pages of an old book. Sometimes a corner is ripped off. A sign that my oldest, who is autistic and adores photos of his family, has treasured it and hidden it away for another day. When I found this one I stopped picking up legos and beyblades and internally cursing my kids for being so dang…
Read MoreMy Boy, Anything is Possible
My Dearest Boy, We’ve walked quite the road, you and I. Your dad and brothers have been there every step of the way too. It all began when you and your twin brother were born three months too early. The future was so unknown back then. The challenges and hills to climb seemed insurmountable. But you and your brother both rose above every challenge you faced. As you grew, it was clear that your needs were greater than your brothers’. Your dad and I had no idea what was going on, but…
Read MoreBrothers
Here’s the thing no one told me about brothers. They fight. And they wrestle. They sneak punches. They take jabs. Like in this picture. They may be hugging. They also may be attempting to squeeze the life out of each other. I won’t know until someone screams. They team up against me a lot. Like velociraptors. One distracts me while the other two sneak into the pantry to steal Cheetos. They protect me too though. If one of them hates me for a second or gets really mad over something…
Read MoreThe Parenting Bar
I was a less than great mom last night. I had all four kids alone, from newborn to toddler to an emotional 8 year old to Cooper and it was a lot to handle. There was a lot of screaming. There was water play when there wasn’t supposed to be water play. And then wet clothes on the floor. And sand. I yelled. I don’t usually yell. But I did.There was talking back. And throwing. So much throwing. There was ‘mommy will you play with me.’ And a lot of…
Read MoreHe Did It!
He did it! He did it! He did it! I think horse therapy is in our future?! Up next is zip lining! The boys are having so much fun. I have to say the best thing about this place is the relaxed vibe. No pressure. No lines. No judgment. The number one reason why we can’t go places is the crowds. So remove that and success is inevitable! Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges…
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