Posts Tagged ‘guest blogger’
Advice to Parents of Newly Diagnosed Children from a Veteran Autism Mom
“Put him in preschool and join a support group.” Those nine words changed my life forever. We had spent all summer at doctor and therapy appointments trying to get to the bottom of what was going on with Reece. I knew deep down in my mother heart that Reece had autism. I had known for awhile. But I didn’t know what to do, where to go, what should/could happen, nothing. I remember those words like it was yesterday, even though, now, it’s been almost 12 years ago. My first emotion…
Read MoreMy Advice After ‘Labeling Day’
October 4th 2017. A day I will never forget. One filled with such mixed emotions… dread and anticipation. I remember sitting in the waiting room of the neurodevelopment center, watching my two year old, Brayden, play with a child life specialist. I was exactly one month postpartum from having my second son, so my hormones (and emotions) were wild. I remember looking at my happy, beautiful toddler, knowing this was the last time he was “Brayden, who has a speech delay”. I knew when we left this appointment he would…
Read MoreA Letter to My Daughter, My Son’s Biggest Fan
Today was, as you call it, a “Mommy Day.” I don’t work on Mondays, so we played and snuggled and went to music class and ate lunch at Panera. Then, we picked up “Col Col” from preschool. You burst into the classroom, thrilled to see your big brother, and he proudly announced “This is my friend, Grace!” You two giggled and ran around, and didn’t listen to Mommy, and giggled some more. I love seeing you two together (even when you’re being a little naughty) because I didn’t know if…
Read MoreDenying What Was Right in Front of Me
I don’t really want to be writing this, because it’s not pretty. I’m somewhat ashamed of this moment, but it’s my truth. “Why can’t you just be normal??” This is what I yelled at my sixteen month old beautiful baby boy. The look on his face is forever sketched in my memory, as it should be. I should never be allowed to forget how awfully broken I was then. Noah had been seeking sensory input at an all time high. Spinning, head stands, making non stop noises {not babbling, big…
Read MoreDiagnosing Autism in Girls…Not So Easy
I’ve learned that girls with autism are better at masking their symptoms than boys. They are able to watch social situations between people, and then copy what is being done. So, when they have their own situation arise, they are often just using what they have learned from seeing other people interact. Also, girls with autism usually have special interests but they are more in line with typical girls their age. But when you look closely, they are much more intense about them than typical girls. Before my daughter Lillian…
Read MoreSometimes, Numbers Do Lie
Dear Holden, Your mama is a numbers person. As are you! I have “data” in my work title and I thrive on knowing things through their relationship to others. So when I heard that you were “on the spectrum” I did not find that explanation to be terribly satisfactory. Where, exactly, on the spectrum were you? I had this new information about you and yet it seemed to tell me absolutely nothing. So, I went looking for numbers and, honey, what I found was not good. An estimated 75-85 percent…
Read MoreA Letter to my Daughter, You’ve Come So Far
Dear Emma, my beautiful daughter. You just turned three and a half and I still wait to hear a word…any word… from your sweet little mouth. You will be four soon and I can’t help but think back to that day. The day I was told you were autistic and ‘that you might never learn to speak.’ I have heard that sentence so many times now you’d think I would be able to just brush it off. Be over it. But every time I hear it, it flaws me. I…
Read MoreJanuary Guest Blogging Writing Challenge
Hi all! Thank you to everyone that submitted an ‘I am Thankful’ post in November and December. As we turn to the 2018 I’d like to change up the blogging topic! Every year on Sawyer’s birthday I write him a letter. I started when he was two. You can see last year’s letter below. Over the years I’ve started writing letters to the people that have played a role in our autism journey. Friends, family, strangers, even Cooper. Some times I thank them. Some times I apologize. And every time…
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