Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs Child’
Doing Our Best
Tonight, my middle son and husband had their first baseball game of the season. It was a big night for both of them. Jamie coach pitched and Sawyer was the catcher. Double trouble if you ask me! At 39 weeks pregnant I knew if I wanted to see our team play I was going to need some help. My oldest and my youngest keep me on my very swollen toes. Thankfully I was able to call in some help. On the way to the game, Cooper began playing an episode…
Read MoreAm I Brave Enough?
Am I brave enough…? I just left the grocery store. I only had a few things today so opted for the self checkout today. While I scanned my items, I became aware of two young men next to me. I would say they were both in their 20’s. It dawned on me rather quickly that one was helping the other shop for groceries. He was helping him scan each item, slow and meticulously. Talking him through he step. The gentleman being helped was very much enjoying himself. He was laughing…
Read MoreNow That I Understand
I used to think a lot of things about my son’s autism. Back before I really understood. Back when it was just a word on a piece of paper slid across the table to us. Slow like. As if the contents held the secrets to our future. I thought it was something that was given to him. Placed upon his 3 year old shoulders, weighing him down. I thought it was something we could fix. Or change. I thought there was a part of him that was not autistic. One…
Read MoreJackson Street Roundhouse
I want to give a huge shout out to the staff and volunteers at the Jackson Street Roundhouse and the Minnesota Transportation Museum. So much kindness for our family. We enjoyed walking around at our own pace and riding the train. Cooper loved the ‘free’ train magazines (which we donated for , Sawyer loved the hot dog stand, and Harbor adored the model trains. He even dove under the fence to get a closer look. And I teared up when Cooper signed ‘thank you’ to three volunteers and they signed…
Read MoreHappy Birthday Grandma
Immediately after Cooper got on the bus this morning I sent this email to his teacher. Good morning! Cooper wanted me to tell you it’s his grandmas birthday today and we are celebrating tomorrow after the train museum. He’s very excited. He also has crazy socks on!’ I sent it because he is so excited for his grandma’s birthday he can hardly stand it. Add in our trip to the train museum tomorrow and crazy sock day and today is the best day ever for him. He gasped and danced…
Read MoreRemember My Boy
The next time you are stuck at the grocery store, irritated with the man at the front of the growing line because he keeps chatting with the clerk, think of my boy. The man might be verbally ruminating about new soda flavors he saw on tv or explaining his frustration that the store is out of the only bread he eats. How it is very important because he eats this bread for every meal in his day. He may also bring up the triangle-shaped crackers he saw on aisle seven.…
Read MoreHow to Treat a Person With Disabilities
My middle son Sawyer is at the age where he asks a lot of questions. The questions are pure and innocent and often make me smile or giggle. Or cringe. He asks me a lot of questions about other children. He will tell me stories from school and ask me why a child was mean or why they acted a certain way. Or he will loudly ask why the cashier at Target is in a wheelchair or why the man in line next to us has purple hair. Or why…
Read MoreAsking for Help Didn’t Make Me Weak, It Made Me Stronger
For some people it’s the diagnosis that stings. That punch in the gut that takes the breath right out of you. For me it was the months that followed. My whole life…the word Autism never meant anything bad. It never really meant anything to me. I felt relieved that finally no one could place the blame on me for my son’s behaviors and actions. However, that diagnosis became way too real for me. For the first time ever at Jackson’s first therapy appointment, he would not look at his therapists.It…
Read MoreFinding Wonder in All Things
My daughter Opal is three years old. She loves trampolines, playing in water, swinging, and watching a few of her favorite movies. We are HUGE Disney fans in our house, so we’re always watching Disney plus. Opal’s absolute favorite movies include Cinderella, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Monsters Inc. (Monster’s Inc. AND Monster’s University!) Opal also has Autism and is currently non-verbal. She struggles with toys and pretend play. We have tried toy after toy, but she’s just not interested. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but as a…
Read MoreBand of Brothers
Let me tell you about a band of brothers I know. They are small in size, but big in heart. I am blessed to call them mine. As I watch them grow and play each day, I am inspired to share what they teach me – not just about how to treat someone on the Autism Spectrum, but about how to have meaningful relationships in life, in general. These relationships create a strong support system with a balanced philosophy of “give and take”. As a mother, I could not be…
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