Posts Tagged ‘severe autism’
What I Really Want For Christmas…
I find myself having the same discussion that I’ve had every year around this time… Buying presents for my son has always been difficult. I remember going to the toy store and grabbing my basket and strolling through the store excited to buy him something he was wanting or truly looking forward to and then suddenly reflect on the fact that he doesn’t even know how to play with toys. I remember seeing all the parents together excited with their overflowing carts and chatting about how their child wanted this…
Read MoreChristmas Cards with a Side of Faith
I am so excited to share our 2018 Christmas card with you. Christmas cards are one of my favorite holiday traditions, and I love documenting the end of our year with a new card. Every year I include a quote about autism and hope on our card. I think people get the subtle reference and hopefully smile. My favorite: ‘Anything can happen child. Anything can be. Never stop believing.’ I also love receiving cards from our friends and family. I typically hang them all over my kitchen and leave them…
Read MoreMeeting Maya
I’m a mother of three amazing humans. But as a divorced mom it wasn’t always easy. I’m proud to send them out into the world and know that they will experience all of its wonders. I worked hard on being what they needed. As the story goes, I was living my life for them…the time put in was well worth it. And believe me twenty years goes by very slowly yet they grow so fast. All my babies have flown the nest. I guess it’s bittersweet my new found freedom.…
Read MoreThe Unique Beauty in Him
This morning we were running late. I couldn’t get Sawyer out of bed. Harbor needed to be fed. And Cooper had somehow found a pile of hidden construction paper in the pantry and was spreading it all over the floor. He wanted me to draw him trains. That’s his new thing. He finds pictures of trains in magazines and has people draw them for him. While yes, it is adorable most of the time, it’s not quite so cute when you are running late for school. He will stand in…
Read MoreWhen My Brother Starts Talking
Yesterday afternoon Sawyer and I took a trip to Starbucks. I needed a coffee and some alone time with my little man. When we are in the car together he talks nonstop. It’s the kind of chatter that I love. He tells me about school, dinosaurs, and the newest Nerf Gun. He tells me about his friends. And what he wants for Christmas. And that we need to hurry up and write his letter to Santa. I soak it all up. Every single word. On our way home he started…
Read MoreWhat is Our Relationship Like…
When my son was five or six, I finally accepted that he ‘may’ be nonverbal forever. It wasn’t easy. And it almost depleted me. I grieved the words I may never hear. All the mamas, I love you’s, and endless questions. Around that time I started wondering what our relationship would evolve into without words. Would we have conversations? Would it be quiet? Would I be lonely? Would I spend endless hours wondering what he was thinking or needing? Well, the answer is no. Cooper and I ‘talk’ all day…
Read MoreMommy Guilt
Mommy guilt is real. It’s powerful and it can crumble the strongest of women. It is painful, shaming, blaming, isolating, gut wrenching and all together time consuming. If you let it, IT WILL DESTROY YOU. How do I know this? Because it almost happened to me. The guilt I felt had such a strong hold that I was numb. For the first time in my life I felt nothing, I heard nothing, saw nothing and was NOT okay. My family was afraid to leave me alone and in all honest,…
Read MoreMy Sensory Seeker
I laugh every single time I walk into a room and see a blue blob. Especially since it’s blaring music from Choo Choo Bob. And giggling. Cooper doesn’t really care for many so-called sensory gadgets. He doesn’t have any interest. But this sensory sack is one of his favorites. He even requests it after particularly long days. He crawls inside and stretches and rolls. I highly recommend it if you have a sensory seeker or a child that craves deep pressure. Link to Transformer Sensory Sack from Fun and Function:…
Read MoreOur Family Photos 2018
Because every picture tells a story… A few weeks ago we had our family photos taken. Harbor was brand new. I was exhausted and emotional. Nursing was hard. Recovering from having a baby was hard. And introducing a new little one into our already chaotic world was hard. I knew Cooper wouldn’t touch his new brother or most likely sit with us for a photo but…I hoped anyways. I wanted pictures of my family. So, we tried. And here is what we got. I’m in love. As I look at…
Read MoreThe Hardest Day is Tomorrow
My name is Stacy, and I’m a married stay at home mom with four kids. My nine year old son Mason is neurotypical, which is the politically correct way of saying he’s “normal” or NOT autistic. My 7 year old daughter Elliott was recently diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, which was enough to make me want to check myself in to the loony bin. Like seriously, I’m waving the white flag and really need to NOT have any more diagnoses handed down for a while. But that’s a different story for…
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