Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs Parenting’
Hope, Shifting
Hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation, to want something to happen or be true. –Merriam-Webster Dictionary In the beginning, I hoped he would outgrow it. I hoped he would sleep through night at least once, and manage cereal from a spoon, and for the love of all things holy and good, stop shrieking. I hoped he’d learn to read, and understand fractions, and figure out how to eat his food without rolling it around in his fingers. I especially hoped he’d stop the rolling thing when we had spaghetti and…
Read MoreWhen You Become a Parent
When you become a parent, you start to understand that the world around you is a completely different place than you previously thought. Your priorities, goals, and literal realities all change. You think about and plan for baby’s first steps and words, the ups and downs of potty training, learning sports, teenage woes, driving, your kids finding lifelong partners, and eventually grandchildren. It is the most beautiful part of life when you get to see the life you created, flourish. And regardless of how many children you have, you are…
Read MoreCaptain’s Log: Day 6, Social Distancing
I want to be crystal clear about something. Never once have I wondered what it would be like to spend 24 hours a day with my husband and beautiful children. Never have I considered homeschooling my children. Never have I considered moving out to a remote area, having a dozen more children, living off the land and singing songs like the Von Trapp family for fun. I like work. I love daycare and school. I love people and socializing. And I love Target. So, it’s safe to say this has…
Read MoreAutism and Anxiety
I have the most amazing son. He is 9-years-old. Almost double digits. He loves dancing and holding hands and Steve Harvey. He loves climbing in my bed at 1 am and carrying around 17 sheets of paper, all different colors of course. He smells like the wind. And he can find mud anywhere. He has autism. He is autistic. It is part of him like his blonde hair and ruddy eyes. He was nonverbal until he was 8-years-old. Today, he has 15 or so words. They come and go. He…
Read MoreCaptain’s Log: Day 5, Social Distancing
There are no rules during Corona. It seems we have entered into a reality where time doesn’t matter. Like a Las Vegas casino or the days in between Christmas and New Years Day. Or that movie Groundhog’s Day where every day is the same. Our calendar is wide open until July. Every planned event now with a red line through it. The weekdays are the same as the weekends. We wake up. Drink coffee. Eat breakfast midday. And again an hour later if you are my children. And then ask…
Read MoreCaptain’s Log: Day 4, Social Distancing
Positives: I finished my laundry for the first time in nine years. All of it. Done. We are cleaning our basement and finding amazing treasures and crap. So, that’s great. Struggles: We are all spending entirely too much time together. I feel like I’m not going to know how to socialize after this. Sawyer: ‘Mom, who was your favorite boyfriend besides Dad? Was he better than Dad?’ Me: ? Sawyer: ‘Mom, the baby is in your drawer! You know the one, beside your bed, that I am not allowed to open…
Read MoreWhen The World Isn’t Quite Right
I’m sitting here in my office (hiding), and thinking about how crazy the world is right now. In fact, I keep trying to explain to my children that this has never happened in mommy’s life and it will hopefully never happen again. They don’t seem to understand the severity of it and Sawyer keeps reminding me that last year we had the Polar Vortex and he missed a whole week of school. Which was also awful FYI. We couldn’t leave the house then either because our eyelids would freeze shut…
Read MoreCaptain’s Log: Day 3, Social Distancing
No one seems to be wearing pants anymore. One is in the hot tub at 8:30 am and is starting to resemble a Frat Boy. One is eating chocolate doughnuts. One is carrying a plunger around and hitting anyone who he comes in contact with. The remotes are missing. Every device is on max volume. Which is almost as annoying as my husband screaming, ‘turn it down, for the love of @#$’, every 30 seconds. The three little ones are always hungry. Always. But seem to hate every food I offer…
Read MoreMy 10 Novel, and Not So Novel, Tips for SUCCESSFUL Self Distancing (survival)
LOCK UP THE PANTRY: Yup, you read that right. If your children are anything like mine, they are always hungry. And on chaotic days with no real rhyme or reason, they tend to be even hungrier. I will find little hoard piles of food throughout my house and wrappers hidden in couch cushions. It makes me crazy. Remove the impulse and lock the food up unless it’s meal time. GET OUTSIDE: Go for a walk. Hunt for rocks or leaves. Set up a trampoline or a water table. Go for a…
Read MoreThe Pause
For the last three and a half years I’ve told you I loved you every night before bed. As a baby I would hold you close in your snuggly swaddle. You eyes would get heavy and your small body would melt into mine. It would feel like an eternity since you hated to sleep. Fear of missing out people would joke. As your beautiful baby blues would eventually close you face would be so peaceful. I would ever so carefully place you in your crib with promises to see you…
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