Posts Tagged ‘nonverbal autism’
Sawyer’s Sixth Birthday Celebration
Birthdays are a huge deal in our world. Especially when you son turns six years old! I tried to put a spell on him to keep him little forever but I guess I failed. He is growing up. Somedays it feels like it’s happening overnight. The day started very, very early. 4:30 AM to be exact. Cooper decided it was time to start the day. So, I used that time to blow up balloons and decorate Sawyer’s door. View this post on Instagram Mother of the year at…
Read MoreWill You Talk Then?
I don’t often talk about God or heaven or religion on this blog. I don’t because the few times I have…people yell at me. Or it makes people feel uncomfortable. And I don’t want to do that. People can believe whatever they want to believe. So, I made the decision to not openly talk about religion. But I will tell you, that I went through a period where I was angry at God. I didn’t understand why my son was picked to have autism. It didn’t feel fair to him.…
Read MoreMy Son is Sitting
I snapped this picture after school today. Cooper sitting. A rare sight in our home. Some days we never see it. Not for weeks or even months. We’d joke that he was either awake and running or sleeping and not moving. There was no in between. Not ever. Wait, that’s not true. When he’s really sick. With a fever. Which thankfully has only happened a few times. Then, he sits. And we get really, really worried. Instead my boy runs, rolls, falls, and paces. We joke that he is going…
Read MoreAutism is Never Easy
I would like to share something with you. Something that I am embarrassed to admit, but I think that it needs to be said. Perhaps it shows my ignorance, my vulnerability, or my true colors of who I am. When I would drop my son Brayden off at the WEAP, ABA preschool center, I would walk him into the classroom and stop and observe all of the children surrounding me. They all had autism. None of them were flapping, obviously stimming, and some had vocabulary well beyond their age. They…
Read MoreSleep in my Room Brother
A month or so before Harbor was born, Cooper and Sawyer both slept in our room. We had just moved to a new house a few months before. Both boys could sense the baby was coming. And they seemed to be trying to soak up as much mama snuggle time as they could. Of course I would like to say they both started out the night in their own rooms and beds. At least that was the intention every day as Jamie and I chugged coffee after a crowded night…
Read MoreI’m Not Lonely Anymore Mama
The decision to have a third baby was huge for us…as it is for any family. A third baby is a lot. Plus, our boys were 7 and 5. Did we really want to start over? Midnight feedings, lugging a car seat around, and nursing. Our living room wasn’t filled with baby gear. We had no bottles or diaper bags. And, to address the elephant in the room…one of our boys has autism. He needs so much more all the time. More patience. More therapy. More one-on-one time. More everything.…
Read MoreDreams Change
“When he is older he will be grand”, “he’ll grow out of it”, “ah you would never know looking at him”. Just some comments that are frequently said to me about my little boy. The reality is people just don’t get it. When you become a parent, you dream of doing so much with your little baby as they grow. Trips to the cinema, out for ice cream together, trips to the beach, or just out for a walk holding hands. I dreamed of all of these things too. I…
Read MoreI Wasn’t Scared of Autism
I wasn’t scared of autism; I knew all about it. My brother has autism and he’s a happy, odd, 30-year old dude living his best life. So, when my son was diagnosed with autism, I was saddened that he’d have obstacles but I was also hopeful that he would find his voice like my brother had. I assumed that our family would rally around my son and be there for him as he finds his own path; I see now I was being naive. When my son was an infant…
Read MoreMy Girl had Gotten out of the House
I am one of those people, even before kids, but even more so with kids, I immediately think of the worst that could happen in every situation, and then I try to do everything humanly possible to keep those things from happening. I know lots of mom’s and people like this, and then I have friends who are so laid back about things that I wonder how many milligrams they are taking a day! I absolutely have days where this instinct is less active than others, but for the most…
Read MoreFinding Alone Time, Tis’ So Sweet
I find so much joy to be able to be my sons caregiver. Somedays it can be emotionally, physically and mentally draining, especially if I am not intentional about assuring that my needs are met. And one need that I am intensely aware of is the need to be alone sometimes. Let’s be real for a few minutes, as Jake’s mom, I am eternally exhausted. I’m not gonna lie. I pour my everything into his well being, day in and day out. It is the most rewarding and demanding “job”,…
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