Posts Tagged ‘autism’
My Son was Assaulted and he Couldn’t Tell Me
A while back my son was kicked by a person that was supposed to be caring for him. It happened one day and I didn’t find out until the next. He came home from school like any other day. He was happy. He was smiling. He asked for a cookie and his Kindle. We played. Had dinner. Took a walk and then a bath. And he went to bed. I had no idea he had been kicked multiple times at school that day. The next morning I received a phone…
Read MoreAn Amazing Brother
Things I said to my son Sawyer on our family walk: 1. Wait up. Hurry up. Wait for me. Stay close. Stay on the path. That is not a trail. 2. Please stay out of the puddles. Seriously dude, must you jump in every single puddle. 3. Sawyer, put your shoes on. You are going to hurt your feet. 4. No, I didn’t bring a band-aid for your foot. I told you you’d get hurt walking barefoot. 5. I love it so much. (He gave me 3 super cool rocks…
Read MoreA Visit to the Dentist
If you would have told me a year ago that my son and I would walk calmly into a dentist’s office, check in, wait patiently in the waiting room watching Moana, walk calmly to the room, and lie in the chair I would have thought you were crazy. And if you would have went onto to tell me that my son would have his teeth flossed and brushed with no problems, and after allow the dentist to do his exam, I would have probably thought you were really crazy. Parents…
Read MoreMy Plea, Please Don’t Criticize a Child in a Stroller
Here is my plea, from a mom. Please, pretty, please, don’t criticize a child, a teen, or an adult who is riding in a stroller. Even if they appear ‘normal. A few weeks ago, our family was out for a walk. I was carrying the baby on my chest in a carrier, Sawyer was riding his bike, and Jamie was pushing Cooper in the stroller. This was a pretty big deal for us. Just a short time ago we were unable to go for walks. But we practiced. We made…
Read MoreRemoving the Pressure of Halloween
As special needs parents, certain things matter to us. Maybe it’s the perfect family photo or having a birthday party or your child with needs attending church for a sibling’s baptism. I want to tell you, it’s okay to care about these things. It’s okay to want to try, and continuing to try. Because if you are like me, it’s about helping your child to be successful and ultimately your family. That’s how a holiday like Halloween is for me. It’s about so much more than the costume and the…
Read MoreThe 7 Stages of Special Needs Parenting
The first stage is denial, it wouldn’t happen to you, Your perfect little baby, you won’t believe it’s true. They can laugh, they can count; They’re so happy, so smart, But you have a sinking feeling, deep inside your heart. There’s something just not right, and other people see, ‘Oh look at how she moves her hands!’ And ‘It’s like she can’t hear me’ You mention it to someone, they say ‘No, I don’t think so’ But time passes and even they see the signs starting to show. Stage 2 is realisation that…
Read MoreDoes Autism Last Forever?
A few days ago, my middle son Sawyer and I took a drive to meet Grandma and Grandpa. They had the baby overnight so this mama could finally sleep through the night. It was delightful. I slept 12 hours. Anyhow, the drive was just under 45 minutes which means 45 minutes that I get to hear about Pokémon cards, hockey, school and life from a six year old. And I love every second of it. This last year has went so fast. I feel like Sawyer grew up overnight, already…
Read MoreA Real Tinder Profile
When we are younger, dating and know everything, we are looking for certain things in a partner. Obviously, someone we are sexually attracted too. Someone with a good sense of humor. Similar interests. A good job. Shared values. Twenty-somethings don’t think about 15 years down the line. Babies, stress, snoring, weight gain, a midlife crisis, money struggles and literally not one second to think, sit or relax. I have to laugh at what a good husband is to me now, after three kids, a mortgage, and nonstop chaos. You wouldn’t…
Read MoreI Will Carry Cooper Mama
When Sawyer was three he asked me if we could go to a fair. I of course said…’yes, but we have to wait until summer.’ Per the usual he said to me…’can my brother go?’ I told him no. His face immediately fell. ‘Cooper can’t go with us buddy.’ I went onto explain how the fair will be too scary for him. ‘Too many sounds and people for Cooper.’ He thought about that for a minute and then looked up at me and said….’is that because he has autism?’ And…
Read MoreBad Timing
Want to hear about bad timing? My nephew, my little sister’s first child was born around 4 am on August 7, 2014. At 10 am that morning I was told that my 10 week old fetus had no heartbeat. The next day, my 31st birthday would be spent physically ridding my body of the baby I had prayed for…for a year. I have a photo of me holding my beautiful nephew Jackson that day. I genuinely felt such happiness for my sister and brother in law but in the picture…
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